Creative Summer: Art, Culture and Celebration of European common values throughout BiH
The Creative Summer activities of the Info Centre of the European Union in Bosnia and Herzegovina provide a unique opportunity to explore BiH’s rich cultural heritage and be acquainted with [&he...
The Creative Summer activities of the Info Centre of the European Union in Bosnia and Herzegovina provide a unique opportunity to explore BiH’s rich cultural heritage and be acquainted with the magical world of museums, photography, painting and other forms of creativity in various spheres of life. From photo competitions, creative workshops, talks and tours to discovering new skills, we have organised a series of events throughout BiH with the aim of jointly celebrating summer creativity.
The cultural and creative sectors have the potential to develop and promote heritage, tourism and all of the other riches that BiH has to offer to its citizens and visitors. In order to bring young people closer to all the advantages of amateur and professional photography, for the second year in a row, two-day workshops were organised in Banja Luka, Mostar, Tuzla and Sarajevo, which provided an opportunity to develop useful skills, socialise and learn all about cultural heritage. Workshop participants were also given the opportunity to participate in a competition of the best photo-reports and, for all citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an invitation was published for a Facebook photo competition on the promotion of cultural heritage, which is open until the end of August 2021.
An indispensable part of this Creative Summer are certainly visits to museums throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina and the organisation of educational, entertaining and interactive programs for the youngest visitors. Hundreds of young creatives, together with curators, museum pedagogues and other experts had the opportunity to explore rich museum materials and learn new, interesting facts about the cultural heritage preserved by museums, as well as new skills and museum stories.
While young people are exploring the world of museums, the citizens of Mostar, Trebinje, Cazin, Zenica, Sarajevo, Tuzla, Bijeljina and Banja Luka have been given the opportunity to become tourists in their city for one day, getting to know their surroundings and exploring their cultural treasures in an unusual manner. All those who have always wanted to go on famous tourist routes and visit places and attractions that they proudly tell others about, were given the opportunity to visit galleries and monuments, learning about the architecture of their cities and getting to know their environment in a different way.
By entering art galleries, new opportunities open up for us to understand the importance of culture, art and activism for the development of society and the realisation of common values. In the Art Gallery of Bosnia and Herzegovina, we saw the first solo exhibition of Selma Selman, an internationally recognised BiH artist, representing a unique presentation of the Roma community with the aim of promoting diversity and inclusion. It is solo exhibition that all those interested will be able to visit until September 1, 2021. During the summer, it will be accompanied by events making the most of the artistic and activist engagement of the artist.
Art and culture do not live only in museums, galleries and studios of artists, they are ubiquitous, and although they are usually created in solitude, they are most strongly expressed through the common experience of all those who appreciate them. From performances in honour of Mak Dizdar at the century-old Radimlja, talks about the importance of reconciliation and coexistence with young people during Sarajevo Film Festival, to art workshops on the banks of the Una, festivals allow us to escape from our everyday lives for hours or days, have fun, socialise, learn something new and enjoy creativity, and they represent the best example of a shared celebration of creativity.
And finally, we seek peace in our Secret Gardens in Brčko, Banja Luka, Mostar and Sarajevo, where a relaxed artistic atmosphere awaits us. These workshops invite us to finally take the plunge and make our homes greener, providing an opportunity to gain helpful tips on how we can do this. For those more prone to artistic creation, there are also instructions from renowned artists and painters on the first steps in creating a work of art, such as purchasing easels and your own painting accessories or visiting professional shops and buying accessories for furniture restoration. Secret Gardens provide a more relaxed alternative to our more active creative summer activities, including also the organisation of prize quizzes in the gentle atmosphere of warm summer nights.
For additional information on activities please visit www.euinfo.ba
