The Regional VIBE Program Continues to Connect Young People: Visits in Podgorica, Belgrade, and Tirana

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In February, young people from across the region have had the opportunity to take part in study visits to Podgorica, Belgrade, and Tirana through the regional program VIBE – Connecting Young People. Each visit brought together around twenty young people. Over the course of three three-day programs, more than forty participants explored topics such as cultural heritage, memory and the past, human rights, and regional cooperation.

This program offers young people from the region a chance to meet, exchange experiences, and learn about different social and cultural contexts first-hand. Through shared journeys, conversations with organizations and experts, and visits to museums, the program opens space for discussions about the issues that shape our societies – from the way we remember the past to questions of human rights and cooperation across the region.

The program in Montenegro included a visit to Cetinje, the country’s historic and cultural center, followed by a joint discussion about the experiences and challenges young people face across the region. Participants exchanged perspectives on nationalism, tolerance, and ways to strengthen regional cooperation.

In Belgrade, the program began with a conversation with the team from Youth Initiative for Human Rights about initiatives to address the past and strengthen regional cooperation. A visit to the Museum of the 1990s opened space for reflection on the legacy of the wars through personal testimonies and archival materials. In contrast, a visit to the Museum of Contemporary Art in Belgrade offered another perspective – exploring how art can open important social conversations.

During their stay in Tirana, the group visited the “House of Leaves” museum, which preserves the memory of the communist regime and the surveillance system that shaped life in Albania. The guided tour opened a discussion about the importance of understanding the past and its lasting impact on contemporary societies.

Through these experiences and conversations, young people had the opportunity to learn about different contexts across the region while also building mutual trust and understanding. The regional VIBE program continues to connect a new generation committed to dialogue, cooperation, and a more open and connected region.

The “Vibe – Connecting Young People” project is implemented by Juventas (Montenegro) in partnership with Arsis (Albania) and Heartefact (Serbia), with financial support from the BOOST program, led by the European Association for Local Democracy – ALDA and the French Development Agency (Agence Française de Développement). The project aims to strengthen regional cooperation among youth from Serbia, Montenegro, and Albania by promoting cultural diversity, European values, and mutual understanding through exchanges, educational, and cultural activities.

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Norwegian Premiere of “They are All Gone” at the International Ibsen Scope Festival

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Call for Project Proposals: Grants for the Implementation of Artistic Projects by Young and/or Emerging Artists (My First Time)

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Heartefact’s Play “They Are All Gone” Directed by Andrej Nosov Premieres in New York

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Premiere of the play “Art&Money” by Swedish director Freja Hallberg at Heartefact House

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Open Application Call for Kosovo–Serbia Bridge Fellowship Program

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Young People from Serbia Explore Belgrade, Novi Sad, and Novi Pazar through the Regional VIBE Program

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Workshop “Personal Story as the Inspiration for a Theatre Play” Held at Heartefact House

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Pančevo Film Festival: Brave Cinematic Voices Driving Social Change

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Culture for Democracy: Supported Projects within the Boost Grants Call

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Radical Optimism from a Kosovar Hill — an original text by director Tara Manić about Dua Lipa’s concert in Pristina

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CALL FOR PROJECT PROPOSALS: INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT GRANTS (REPUBLIC OF NORTH MACEDONIA)

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

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Exhibition of Personal Stories from Marginalized Communities “There’s Room for Everyone” Opened at Heartefact House

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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.