Community Engagement & Placemaking Workshop – Bentbaša, Sarajevo
Date: October 3, 2025
Time: approx. 6 hours
Location: Bentbaša, Sarajevo
Sarajevski Ratni Teatar, Živimo Balet, in collaboration with Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design Budapest (MOME), The Collective Foundation, and Iskriva – Institute for Development of Local Potentials invites students, young professionals, and the local community to take part in a full-day Community Engagement and Placemaking Workshop at Bentbaša, Sarajevo.
The workshop will combine storytelling and design, inviting participants to first look back at the history of the place through shared community memories, and then look forward by developing creative concepts for its future use.
• Morning – Travel Back in Time
Participants will meet with local residents who will share personal stories and memories connected to Bentbaša. These testimonies will be documented and used as inspiration for future ideas.
• Afternoon – Travel Forward in Time
In groups, participants will transform the collected stories into placemaking concepts for the surroundings of the performance stage planned for next year’s festival. Through collages and group presentations, participants will propose ways to reconnect the site with the community and bring it back to life.
The results of the workshop will not only inspire the festival performance in 2026 but also form part of a small exhibition, showcasing the creative potential of collective memory and co-design.
This is a unique opportunity to:
– Engage directly with the local community of Sarajevo
– Learn practical tools for participatory design and placemaking
– Collaborate with peers from diverse disciplines
– See your ideas come to life during an international cultural event
The workshop runs for approximately 6 hours, including lunch and a walk around the site. All participants will be credited as co-creators of the placemaking process.
The day will be guided by Borbála Marosán, design researcher, and Irina Altanova, community engagement expert, who will provide mentorship and tools for both storytelling and design.
The workshop is part of the Danube Dance Alliance, an international project that brings together contemporary dance, storytelling, and new technologies.
Your ideas and insights will help inspire an innovative performance co-created with communities across the Danube region.
The project is co-funded by the European Union and the National Culture Fund.
