
WORKSHOPS
31st Festival of Ecological Theater for Children and Youth
1. DIGITAL NARRATIVE WORKSHOP FOR PARENTS AND CHILDREN
Creative workshop
Target audience: for children aged 4 to 8 and their parents/guardians
August 23rd and 24th 2025
Join this interactive and hands-on workshop where children and their parents explore the world of digital storytelling through animation by using two- dimensional characters. Inspired by the play Ashik wants to tell you a story, the workshop provides participants with the opportunity to collaboratively create characters and develop stories using everyday objects, while simultaneously learning the basics of animation. Each family will have the opportunity to share their story in a supportive and creative environment. The workshop encourages teamwork, communication, and imagination, making it an unforgettable experience for both children and parents.
The workshop is led by:
Hojjat Zeinali is an Iranian puppet theater director and performer, with a bachelor's degree in puppet theater. For more than ten years, he has been creating theater performances, storytelling forms, and drama workshops for children, especially for ages 4 to 8 years old. His work combines performing arts, education, and cultural heritage, drawing inspiration from Azerbaijani folklore, language, and traditional narratives to provide young audiences with meaningful and significant experiences. He is also the co-founder of the group Zarrafeh Kheimeh Shab Bazi,dedicated to the revival and reinterpretation of traditional Iranian and Azerbaijani puppetry. His work reflects artistic innovation and social responsibility, reaching out to children and marginalized communities across Iran.
2. ALL ABOUT LOVE
Educational, creative and dance workshop
Target audience: 6 + years old
August 23rd 2025
Dance workshop All about love deals with caring for others, feeling and touch. What does it feel like to touch someone? To be touched? How do we care for someone? And how about ourselves? How does our body feel when we are completely relieved, in complete contrast to the conflict? All of these questions are related to the ideas in the play You are my sister, sis, which are re-positioned and re-thought through the workshop.
The workshop is led by:
Sophie Billon was born in 1977. She began her dance education at the Regional Conservatory in Reims (Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional de Reims), and then continued at the Paris Conservatoire, combining dance with other disciplines such as piano and theater. Her studies allowed her to explore the work of different choreographers and understand the creative process, learning to create independently, but also in collaboration with others. She holds a state diploma as a contemporary dance teacher and regularly leads workshops for a wide variety of target groups, in order to introduce them to dance and the creative process behind it.
Clémence Dieny studied contemporary dance at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Paris, which she graduated in June 2016. Since 2018, she has been part of several dance companies in France and Germany. For more than five years, she has been working closely with Marina Mane on numerous projects - previously as a performer and workshop participant, and more recently as an assistant choreographer. In 2022, together with Simon Arson, she founded the company L’Inclinée, based in Roya Valley, where they develop their own choreographic work and offer cultural activities to the local community.
3. HOME – SWEET HOME
Educational, creative and dramatic workshop
Target audience: 7-12 years old
August 21st – 24th 2025
At the three-day Home – Sweet home workshop, together we will explore important topics such as growing up, family, home and freedom. Through a variety of acting exercises, games and teamwork, participants will develop stage sketches that we will design and perform together. The workshop is designed so that children can express their feelings, thoughts and ideas through art and – to have fun! The goal of the workshop is for children to develop imagination, self-confidence, empathy and team spirit through artistic expression.
The workshop is led by:
Milica Filić, actress from Niš, completed her undergraduate and master studies in acting at the Faculty of Arts in Kosovska Mitrovica. After her studies, she performed numerous roles in theaters across Serbia. She currently performs in theaters in Niš and Pirot, both in evening and children's plays. Among television projects, she highlights roles in series Swamp 2 and Sabre.
Andrija Mitić graduated from the Academy of Arts in Banja Luka in the class of Professor Jelena Trepetova Kostić. During his studies, he was an associate of the National Theatre of Republika Srpska. He is currently engaged at the National Theatre Niš and teaches acting at the acting school Drama studio. In addition, he has experience in television and film productions..
4. BODYTONE (BODY+TONE)
Creative and music workshop
Target audience: 10-15 years old
August 21st – 24th 2025
At the Bodytone creative workshop, rhythm becomes a game, and the body – an instrument! Through a series of fun and dynamic activities, children will explore the world of sound, movement and teamwork. The workshop is designed to encourage imagination, hearing, coordination and mutual cooperation. It is intended for children who love to move, listen, invent and collaborate. No musical or dance skills are required – just curiosity and a desire to play.
The workshop is led by:
Ilija Ivanović is a graduate of acting at the Academy of Arts in Banja Luka. He currently works as an associate at the National Theatre of Republika Srpska in Banja Luka, and has performed in several professional performances in several theatres in Serbia and Republika Srpska. The audience also had the opportunity to see him in several short feature films and television series.
Nikola Milaković graduated in acting from the Academy of Arts in Banja Luka, and is currently employed at the Children's Theatre of the Republika Srpska in Banja Luka. He is the creator of the original monodrama project Marso, which is based on pantomime and stage movement. He won the Grand prix at the Festival of Stage Movement and Choreodrama in Kosovska Mitrovica, as well as a special jury award at the Inbox festival.
5. ONCE UPON A TIME… THERE WAS A HOUSE
Ecological, educational and creative workshop
Target audience: It is necessary that children can participate in cycling – independently or accompanied by their parents.
August 21st – 24th 2025
Every day, we start the workshop with a bike ride around the city and each day we have a different host and a different topic. On the first day, we search for the most beautiful houses in Bačka Palanka. When we get back, we draw them and make a map of the city. On the second day we dream about what our city could be like, we draw houses and another map. On the third day, we drive through the story of the city of one of the FEP members and end up in front of the theater building – we draw what it should look like, inside and out.
The workshop is led by:
Dragana Kojičić is an independent architect with a specialization in earthen architecture and a Doctor of Arts in Scenic Design. She leads various trainings on the use of earth in architecture and beyond, is a co-organizer of the traveling Regio Earth and the organizer of the local LALA Earthland festival.
Radoslav Karanović is a graduate architectural engineer, artist and activist, father of two boys.
Vladimir Dragićević is a graduate of architectural engineering, PhD and owner of a Three borders and a cloud winery.
6. ON THE WAY OUT OF THE DARK FOREST
Psychological drama workshop
Target audience: The workshop is intended for adults who work with children and young people
August 21st – 24th 2025
The workshop is intended for those who work with children and young people, and who want to work on improving their own mental health, as well as raising topics in this area with children/young people. Using drama techniques, as well as exercises from physical and dance theater, participants will have the opportunity to reflect on and articulate the place of different feelings and states (fear and anxiety, sadness and depression, anger and aggression, but also well-being and satisfaction) in their lives, so that they will be able to reflect on this with the children and young people they work with. Special focus will be on topics related to gender-based violence.
The workshop is led by:
Marko Pejović is a graduated psychologist and psychotherapist, playwright and art theorist. He is the co-author of several projects that apply inclusive principles in contemporary dance, physical and dramatic theater, in which artists and members of various marginalized groups have participated. He is the author of the drama texts The death and life of guinea pigs (commendation from the Serbian Playwrights' Association, 2006), 13 empty chairs and not only 13 (praise from Sterija's theater, 2016), Dora's Land of Oz and A winter story about Lana and her teddy bear (the last two were staged by the Mostar Puppet Theatre in 2013 and 2015). As a playwright, he participated in several dance productions. He has led a large number of workshops based on dramatic forms, on the principles of artistic performance, as well as contemporary dance workshops. He has directed two inclusive short films that have been screened at festivals around the world.
7. PAINTING MURALS
Educational and creative workshop
Target audience: 8-12 years old
August 22nd – 24th 2025
Painting murals with children is beneficial in many ways and is a great opportunity to encourage their creative expression. Children often approach painting with more freedom and imagination than adults, which gives this workshop added value – not only as an artistic process, but also as a space for learning and co-creation. The goal of the workshop is to paint a mural together that will be a lasting decoration of the city and that, years later, will be a reminder to children of the experience of participating in something that was both creative and meaningful.
The workshop is led by:
Mirna Jovanović was born on March 11, 1990 in Doboj (Republika Srpska). She graduated in acting from Slobomir P University, Academy of Arts - Department of Drama and Film Arts, in 2013, and received her diploma in icon painting in 2018. She works at the Semberija City Theater in Bijeljina. So far, she has had a significant number of solo and group exhibitions, and she also illustrates picture books and children's books. He is the author of the first non-verbal picture book in the Republika Srpska, Heavenly boy and his dog..
8. INCLUSIVE WORKSHOP ReciMat
Educational, creative and ecological workshop
Target audience: 5-7 years old
August 21st 2025
Through creative work with a variety of recycled materials, participants will create didactic tools designed to encourage learning through the development of visual and tactile perception, numerical skills, attention, coordination, and concentration. The workshop simultaneously fosters imagination, teamwork, and spatial dexterity, making the learning process fun, engaging, and sustainable.
The workshop is led by:
Nevena Milivojević is a defectologist - oligophrenologist by profession. This calling for her is not just a profession, but also a deep personal commitment. She is known for her empathy, honesty, and spontaneity. Helping others is something that fulfills and motivates her. Colleagues describe her as a loyal, collegial and reliable colleague, always ready to cooperate, exchange experiences and work together. She is particularly sensitive to the needs of children and always strives to make their everyday lives more beautiful with her knowledge, attention, and heart. Her approach to work is marked by sincerity, warmth and a desire to contribute to the well-being of the community.
Slađana Barjaktarović is an English teacher with fifteen years of experience working with children aged 3 to 18. During her career, she has implemented numerous workshops on various topics, adapted to the age and needs of children. In addition, she has significant experience working with children with developmental disabilities, which has further shaped her professional approach. She is distinguished by her dedication, pedagogical tact and ability to help children develop their potential through creative and stimulating work.
9. Eco-Beats - LET'S EXPLORE THE SOUNDS OF NATURE
Musical, educational and creative workshop
Target audience: 8-14 years old
August 21st – 24th 2025
The workshop is designed to encourage listening and recreating the sounds of nature, which are often neglected in the noise of the modern world. We will explore sounds such as animal calls, the sound of water, weather sounds, and different natural environments. We will be introduced to original musical instruments, made from recycled objects and natural materials, that mimic these sounds. We will make some of these instruments in the workshop, play them and incorporate them into an "eco" orchestra.
We will create our own story to which we will add sounds, music and rhythms of original instruments. This eco-musical fairy tale will be performed in front of an audience at the end of the workshop.
The workshop is led by:
Peter Kus is a composer, puppet theater director, instrument builder and pedagogue from Ljubljana, Slovenia. In many of his projects, he explores the intersection of music and theater. His performances have been included in numerous international festivals, where they have received many awards for music and originality. Peter Kus is a designer and builder of original musical instruments, as well as the author of the exhibition Sound garden and of the Blup play.
10. HEDGEHOG AND HOUSE
Scientific and creative workshop
Target audience: 4-10 years old
August 22nd 2025
Through an interesting model of an unusual house, children express their creativity and acquire knowledge about materials, construction methods, and the importance of engineering knowledge. With the help of this task, children themselves turn into engineers. The second part of the workshop involves making a hedgehog in the form of a mosaic, where children express their imagination and inclination towards art and aesthetics.
The workshop is led by:
Zorica Karas graduated from the Faculty of Pedagogy in Sombor as one of the best students. She achieved permanent knowledge and training through work in elementary schools, educational centers and Tinker Labs school. Zorka believes that every new lesson and continuous education is one more way for children to return to nature, natural sciences, thinking, logic, analytical and synthetic thinking, and true values.
Registration for the workshop is open until capacity is reached..
The number of places is limited, so we advise you to secure your place quickly.
Registration is done via
link.
