Heartefact was founded in 2009. Heartefact strengthens critical awareness and builds an open and free society in the region of the Western Balkans through creative, expert, and artistic exchange. Heartefact supports and encourages contemporary and engaged cultural and artistic creativity, and thus creates the conditions for producing a new generation of progressive individuals. Ever since its establishment Heartefact has been committed to creating a regional cultural space which is responsible towards the past and builds a secure future. Heartefact gives special attention in its work to marginalized and discriminated social groups, and has productions, a foundation, and an institute. So far, they have produced more than 50 art programmes in the theatrical and visual arts, published over twenty authors of contemporary drama, supported over 80 programmes through the foundation, and organised over 100 exchanges in the region.
Screenwriter and director Srđan Ćešić completed his studies in visual communication at the International College of Art and Sciences in Milan. He is the writer of satirical programmes Never Sorry, For unknown reasons, and UPS!. His political illustrations have been published in Intervju, Borba and NIN. As an art director, designer and film director he has worked on numerous marketing, political, and social engagement campaigns.
Theatre director Andrej Nosov founded the Youth Initiative for Human Rights and Heartefact, and he is the current director of Heartefact. He graduated from the Faculty of Drama, department of theatre and radio directing. He is engaged in initiatives for reconciliation in the Balkans. He worked as a journalist for Danas and Radio Free Europe. He has directed the plays Bent by Martin Sherman and Hinkemann: What must will be by Ernst Toller and Vuk Bošković. He is the project author of Hunger, Werther: either you have hope or you don’t, Ghosts by Henrik Ibsen, and Remains by Vuk Bošković.
Theatre producer Janko Dimitrijević graduated from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts, department of management and production in theatre, radio and culture. He has worked as an organizer and producer of the plays Hunger, Werther: either you have hope or you don’t, Hinkemann: what must be will be, This grave is too small for me, Tomb for Boris Davidovich, Dragon-killers, What is her fault, it is not her fault, Ghosts, and Remains.
Actress Jelena Graovac graduated from the Faculty of Acting and Media in Rijeka and took her master’s degree at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade in 2016. She has acted in plays in Serbia and in the region, including Werther: either you have hope or you don’t and Remains, under the direction of Andrej Nosov, No-one, under the direction of Milica Grujičić and Crnjanski, directed by Ivana Vujić. Since 2012 she is a member of Prostor Plus – studio of performing arts in Rijeka, Croatia. She was engaged in numerous workshops and projects in the domain of physical theatre, movement and contemporary dance, as well as vocal techniques trainings, including two years of kinesensic training with Deborah A. Kinghorn of the Lessac Training and Research Institute. In 2011 she got a degree from Centre for Women’s Studies, Zagreb, Croatia.
Marina Mišović graduated from the Faculty of Law and Political Science in Montpellier, department of politology. For two years she was creating contents for discussions and debates on European-related topics for local organisations in France. As an intern, she assisted the artistic program of the Cultural Centre REX for one year. Currently, she works in Heartefact Fund as a program assistant.