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CULTURECRACY

The purpose of the cultural artistic colonies is to express your ideas and proposals about Europe through your chosen artistic channel together with other young people, or to highlight any challenges that young people or the European community are facing according to your opinion.

The colonies will run simultaneously with the central programme of EYE Brežice and will merge together with it in the afternoon on Saturday, 25 May 2024, within the presentations of colonies’ productions to all EYE Brežice participants.
The participants that in April 2024 applied and were selected to attend the colonies will create on the topics of EYE Brežice, which are democracy, active participation, rights, security, environment, sustainability, world, society, work, social inclusion, migrations, innovations, education, economy, digitalization, culture and health.

Photo Colony
”I really believe there are things nobody would see if I didn’t photograph them.” Diane Arbus

Number of participants: 7

In the introductory part of the photo colony, you will be invited to reflect and present your vision of your photographic project addressing one or more EYE Brežice topics. With the mentor’s support you will then explore suitable locations and methods to present topics through photography in a personal, effective and visually appealing manner. The mentor will be available throughout the colony for discussions on the created works and support in selecting and arranging works for the exhibition on Saturday afternoon. In line with the topics of EYE Brežice the creation is expected to be within the framework of documentary, street, personally expressive and/or conceptually oriented photography. The creation within the colony will involve photography in digital technique with DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex), mirrorless cameras and/or mobile phone devices in a manner that allows viewing of photos on the computer.

About the mentor:
Janez Zalaznik graduated in painting from the Academy of Fine Arts in Ljubljana in 1987. Since then he has been self-employed in the cultural field – in painting, photography, graphic design, publishing and teaching. He is the author of ten manuals on various fields of visual arts and one photographic manual on composition. He has had several solo painting and photography exhibitions in Slovenia and abroad. His photographs have been published in domestic and foreign specialized magazines and he has received numerous awards and recognitions for them. Since 2020 he has been regularly publishing photographs in Slovenian magazine Mladina.

Graffiti Colony
”Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.” Banksy

Number of participants: 7

Graffiti can be used as an artistic medium to express various ideas, messages and stories. Graffiti colony will offer you insight into graffiti history, significance in contemporary culture and various styles and techniques used in graffiti art. You will be introduced to the basics of graphic – linocut (using stencils and printing on paper). The colony will also involve creating and planning in smaller groups, where your ideas based on the topics of EYE Brežice will then be transferred onto canvas, paper or other surfaces using spray paints and stencils, enabling the presentation of created graffiti on Saturday afternoon. The mentor will be available throughout to provide support and guidance during the creation process.

About the mentor:
Anja Fabiani graduated in painting from the Academy of Fine Arts in Ljubljana in 2002. She has participated in several painting colonies and extempores, as well as solo and group exhibitions. She has extensive experience as a workshop mentor in schools, painting colonies and other organizations and programs. She is also the founder of an art school, where she prepares young people for admission exams at the Academy of Fine Arts and art high schools.

Film Colony
“When people ask me, if I went to film school, I tell them: No, I went to films.“ Quentin Tarantino

Number of participants: 9

At the film colony you’ll have the opportunity to create a short documentary, fiction or experimental film with other participants using your mobile phone. The decision which of the EYE Brežice topics will be addressed in the short film (or multiple films) will be free and a matter of the group. Throughout the colony you will become familiar with key phases of filmmaking, acquire basic skills in screenwriting, filming and editing. The mentor will provide guidance and advice at every step of the creative process. The colony will conclude on Saturday afternoon with a screening of the film (or films) followed by an open, constructive and critical discussion about the central values and dilemmas addressed in the film involving all EYE Brežice participants.

About the mentor:
Matjaž Jamnik is the author of several award-winning short films. He graduated from the Academy of Theatre, Radio, Film and Television in Ljubljana. His graduation project “Nihče ni rekel, da te moram imeti rad” (translation “Nobody Said I Have to Love You”) became the first Slovenian film to be selected for the Cinefondation section of the Cannes Film Festival and received the faculties’ Prešeren Prize for students. He is currently completing a short film with the working title “Rimbaud iz mojega dvorišča” (translation “Rimbaud from my courtyard”).

Impro Theatre Colony
"The first rule of improvisation is agree. Always agree and say YES." Tina Fey

Number of participants: 12

Improvisational theatre is a form of theatrical art that does not have a predetermined script. The content of scenes is created on the spot based on suggestions from the audience or fellow performers. During the colony you will strengthen your narrative skills through various impro theatre games, use your body as a means of communication, cooperate with other participants and have fun in the process. The topics of EYE Brežice that will be addressed will be decided together during the processes in the colony. Together you will also create a short production, which will be presented to the other participants of EYE Brežice on Saturday afternoon.

About the mentorship:
The IMPRO Association for Culture and Education is a Slovenian non-governmental organization with the status of operating in the public interest in the field of youth and cultural sector. It is the holder of national programs of impro theatre such as Impro League, ŠILA – School Impro League, MIŠ – Small Impro School, training program for theatre mentors Bodigatreba+ and other impro theatre programs and projects.

Art Colony
"I don't paint dreams or nightmares, I paint my own reality." Frida Kahlo

Number of participants: 7

The art colony will give you space to express your opinions and feelings about the topics of EYE Brežice, which may sometimes be difficult to articulate and present. Through mutual communication, inspiration, exchange of views and the professional support of the mentor you will be able to visually present your visions in an artistic way and enable other participants of EYE Brežice to feel the significance of your work at the Saturday exhibition. Creation will take place in various techniques. We will discuss which one you will choose after/if your application is accepted. It will be possible to create paintings on canvas in acrylic technique, experiment with sculpturing, artistic installations, graphics, drawing and other.

About the mentor:
Brane Širca graduated from Arthouse – College of visual arts in Ljubljana in 2003. Since 2006 he has regularly exhibited in the Krka Gallery in Ljubljana, is a member of the executive board of the Ljubljana Fine Artists Society and the president of the painters’ section in the Slovenian Association of Fine Arts Societies. He has participated in various training sessions, symposiums, colonies and residencies in Slovenia and abroad. He regularly exhibits his works in Slovenia and abroad and has received recognitions and awards. In his artistic practice he explores various approaches and materials, techniques ranging from sculpture and graphics to painting. He is interested in various aspects of human life, beliefs, values and the consequences of current social systems on human life.

Colony of Theatre of the Oppressed
"We are all actors: being a citizen is not living in society, it is changing it." Augusto Boal

Number of participants: 12

Using the universal language of theatre within groups and communities we create a foundation for exploring our own lives, fostering critical thinking and dialogue focused on asking questions rather than providing answers. In the colony of theatre of the oppressed you will have the opportunity to explore concepts of social power dynamics and distribution, forms of social inequality through theatre games and techniques, discover your potentials, constructively express your views and get in touch with your inner world. With the mentor’s support and other participants’ views you will choose from the selection of EYE Brežice topics, which you all together will address and present to other participants of EYE Brežice on Saturday afternoon. No prior experience in theatre is required to participate in the colony, as the techniques of theatre of the oppressed are suitable also for first encounters with theatre.

About the mentor:
Kristina Debenjak is a graduate social pedagogue and a member of Association Transformator, where she co-creates the youth project “Rainbow of Wishes – colouring the lives of young people in times of despair” and the No-Festival of Theatre of the Oppressed. With fifteen years of experience in creative media, theatre of the oppressed methods, street theatre and community circus she contributes to the creation of social and community spaces through workshops, youth exchanges and other projects that are based on mutual connection, acceptance of diversity, building supportive communities and reflection on our social roles and positions. Currently she is also involved in researching theatre of the oppressed as a method for exploring the psychosocial challenges of young people and the roles of their support communities.