The First Sarajevo Theatre Showcase Presented Numerous Young Artists to the Regional and European Theatre Public

New Theatre Market News Sarajevo Theatre Showcase

From September 12 to 15, Sarajevo hosted the first edition of the Sarajevo Theatre Showcase, an annual professional event that provides a significant development platform for theatre professionals from Southeast Europe. The Showcase is organized by cultural organizations and theatres from five countries: Sarajevo War Theatre SARTR, Heartefact from Serbia, Ulysses Theatre from Croatia, Binario Vivo from Italy, Para Film&Theatre from Norway, and Realstage from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Launched with the aim of enabling artists from this part of Europe to present themselves not only regionally but also in a European context, the event in Sarajevo gathered more than two hundred international guests – including producers, directors, theatre managers, festival curators, and dramaturges – all of whom can contribute to new co-productions, guest performances, talent development, and sustainable practices in the regional theatre industry.

The program was divided into several categories, with numerous young artists from Serbia, alongside colleagues from other countries, participating in all of them: the Bitef Theatre production directed by Ana Janković Suicide as a (Social) Fact opened the Showcase; new plays by two young Serbian authors, Jana Milivojević and Nađa Mišković, were selected among the best from a pool of 20 texts developed under the mentorship of some of Europe’s leading dramaturges; while many emerging artists – including Sofija Dimitrijević, Vida Davidović, Aleksandar Jovanović, Nina Plavanjac, Marta Đorđević, Nevena Dimitrijević, and Anja Ćuković – presented their works-in-progress to potential producers.

“I submitted a concept for a play through an open call, and that text was selected among the four best and will now have a public reading at the festival. This means a lot to me because it is the first opportunity for us dramaturges to create a play with mentors from the very beginning. It was also excellent that we worked on the text in a foreign language, in English, since our mentors came from Germany and Austria,” said Jana Milivojević about her selected play We Are Scared We Are Learning How to Count.

In addition to categories showcasing performances and new project ideas, the Showcase also included workshops for young directors, producers, and critics, mentored by renowned artists and theatre professionals such as Selma Spahić, Biljana Srbljanović, Nina Rajić Kranjac, Natasha Tripney, Ivor Martinić, and others.

With the idea of being held every other September, the Sarajevo Theatre Showcase aspires to become a meeting point and platform for artists from Southeast Europe to present themselves to the broader regional and European theatre public. With this initiative, Heartefact continues its mission of continuously developing contemporary playwriting and promoting young Serbian artists beyond the country’s borders.

The project is co-financed by the European Union through the Creative Europe program.

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The project “Culture for Development” announces to the public the names of the projects that received support within the first call!

The grants for cultural and artistic projects are awarded for the development and implementation of socially relevant contemporary art projects that contribute to the enrichment of culture and promote diversity in artistic practices and expressions, address critical social issues, and encourage community development.

Young Artists and Activists from Serbia Visited Festivals in Pristina and Prizren as Part of Heartefact’s Visiting Program

As part of Heartefact’s Kosovo–Serbia Visiting Program, we organized a visit in early August to festivals in Pristina and Prizren for a group of young artists and activists from Serbia. During the visit, the participants had the opportunity to attend three major cultural events in Kosovo – the 24th edition of the DokuFest International Documentary Film Festival in Prizren, the 6th edition of the Sunny Hill music festival in Pristina, and the 5th edition of the Autostrada Biennale, an international contemporary art festival.

OPEN CALL: GRANTS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ON-THE-JOB TRAINING AND CAPACITY BUILDING (REPUBLIC OF NORTH MACEDONIA)

Public presentation of the play Doughnuts held as part of the New Voices workshop

On Sunday, July 6, a public presentation of the play Doughnuts (Buhtle) was held at Heartefact House, marking the conclusion of the four-day Playground for New Voices workshop. The workshop took place within the European project Fabulamundi: New Voices, which Heartefact implements with partners from nine European countries. It was led by director and playwright Patrik Lazić, in collaboration with emerging playwright Jelena Krdžavac, the acting ensemble, and translator Olja Petronić.

Exploring and developing contemporary drama through process: Doughnuts by Jelena Krdžavac in the spotlight of the Playground workshop

As part of the Fabulamundi project, implemented by Heartefact in collaboration with partners from nine European countries, the Playground workshop is taking place in Belgrade from July 3 to 6. Led by director and playwright Patrik Lazić, the workshop brings together a cast of actors and emerging playwright Jelena Krdžavac to explore and further develop her play Doughnuts (Buhtle), which was shortlisted in last year’s Heartefact Competition for Best Contemporary Socially Engaged Drama.

Culture for Democracy: Supported Projects within the Call for Cultural and Artistic Project Implementation in Serbia

An exceptional response—totaling 273 applications—reflects the critical position of the cultural sector in Serbia in the context of the current political and social climate. Based on the Commission’s evaluation, 22 projects have been selected for support, with a total budget of 21,500,000.00 RSD. Although this amount exceeds the originally planned budget for this call, we believe that, amid the ongoing crisis and with public calls for cultural funding either canceled or indefinitely postponed, such support is more necessary than ever.

Artistic Residency and Public Presentation of Gaelle Axelbrun’s Play Held as Part of the Playground Project

From June 22 to 28, 2025, an artistic residency of French playwright Gaelle Axelbrun took place at Heartefact House in Belgrade, as part of the European project Playground. During this intensive seven-day working period, Gaelle, together with director Tara Manić, translator Olja Petronić, and the acting ensemble—Nevena Kočović, Jana Bjelica, and Andrej Nježić—explored the dramaturgical and performative potential of her play Far from the Mud in Which We Sink into Sleep.

Residency of French Author Gaelle Axelbrun in Belgrade as Part of the Playground Project

From June 22 to 28, 2025, the Heartefact House in Belgrade will host a residency for French playwright Gaelle Axelbrun as part of the European project Playground. This intensive seven-day residency, organized by Heartefact, is part of an international collaboration focused on the development of contemporary dramatic texts by emerging European authors.

First Seminar for Youth from Serbia Held as Part of the Regional VIBE Program

From June 20 to 22, 2025, Heartefact organized a three-day seminar for young people from Serbia in Belgrade as part of the regional program VIBE – Connecting Young People. The program brings together youth from Serbia, Montenegro, and Albania with the aim of strengthening regional cooperation and exchange. Designed as a space for learning, dialogue, and connection, it focuses on human rights, regional cooperation, the shared history of the region, and reflections on the future that young people wish to shape through activism and civic engagement.