“FOKUS” FOUNDATION FOR YOUTH CULTURE AND CREATIVITY

SUMMARY OF THE FOUNDATIONS’ WORK FROM ITS ESTABLISHMENT UNTIL THE END OF 2009.

 

“Fokus” foundation was established on 25th of May 2005. Its main work started from 1st of November 2005.

The main purpose of establishing such an institution was the lack of continuous care of youth culture in Subotica, Serbia.

The foundation’s aim is to shape a new field of culture in the community of Subotica.

Through various cultural and art projects, science and youth initiatives, “Fokus” foundation wishes to wake up the “Panon lady”-Subotica- from its regional-plain sleepiness.

Its activities should be open for all citizens who wish to enrich cultural and social life. The foundation is a local institution, which has the task of promoting the contemporary, intercultural, post-modern and urban society.

It would be the young people's special role to form such a cultural identity in our city since they had been long neglected and left out of establishing and embracing such new and valuable cultural models.

 

 

1. ALL granted projects by topics and years:

Year 2005:

 

• Calls for literature works
• Music festivals (Blues, Rock, ALL round festival (trenchtown), etno music)
• Philosophical discussions/round tables (“Kanape”)
• Educational programs & Workshop’s (manager edu., drug prevention programs, art&history, drama WS., )
• Exhibiton (of photographs, intercultural days, almanac of Subotician designers, about city Subotica, ice-skating show)
• Commemoration programs (“Miloš Savić“)

 

 

Year 2006:

 

• “Fokus” magazine publishing
• Remembrance and commemoration programs (DJ Miguel)
• literary works (in Hungarian language)
• Exhibitions and promotions (Day of Europe, times in objects, globalization and Subotica, photos of nature, comics, Subotician HipHop, “ana never”,  book: “Subotica in the year 2100”, sever severozapad, short film shooting by a highschoolar )
• Education and Workshops (photo WS’s in Serbian and Hungarian, summer educational days, learning Esperanto language, blues for beginners, punk university, religious structure of our community, junior jam contemporary musical WS’s., emotions-creative WS’s, psihodrama-WS’s, conflict handling-WS’s, discussion boards on modern globalization processes)
• Concerts, entertainment and art (“atheist rap”, “EEK a mouse”, The sirens, The intelligence, the lord bishop, circus: Fantazio, French movies cinema, Classicals movies of Europe, String festival)

 

 

Year 2007:

 

• Calls for art- works “dreams”
• Theatre and performances (performance: drawings in the open, drama theatre WS, ballet performance, Spring view dancing group, Noah's ark performance and exhibition, graffiti jam)
• Education and Workshops (“youth manager’s rout”, , recycling workshop, summer camp for deapth youth)
• Exhibitions and promotions (postcards with the motives of Subotica, photography and promotion of the dictionary „GESAMKUNSTWERK“, trash art making and exhib., book: ''Twenty minutes”)
• Magazine and movie publishing (art&cultural magazine “Symposion”, movie “33”, music short movie Gerila concept”, documentary movie, )
• Festivals & concerts (“etno fest”, “summer 3p”, “dadras”- euroregion festival DKMT, autumn culture days,)
• Remembrance and commemoration programs (John Peel day)

 

Year 2008:

 

• Calls for literature works (the topic of horror, with the topic of ecological awareness)
• Remembrance and commemoration programs (Nevena Grkovic Bukvic)
• Theatre and performances (performance for children, “lifka mimesis of moving pictures”-performance by Medijala)
• Education and Workshops (Tesla in broad world, Local action plan creating, Jazz WS, Danube Conference, Summer drama camp in Nosa, drama WS,
• Exhibitions and promotions (Jugoslav Sivić: “Lights”, Aleksandar Lifka: “showing film adaptations”, Emil Kadirić: “drawings”, Journalist WS, Augustin Borsos: “summer on the lakeside”, “all that music”-website, “golden chair”-Pionir 10, “my Palic-say and show”, Božidarka Vidaković: “Autograph”, audio copyrighting of group “Paniks”,  Ivanković Pavla: “Dress to Impress”, “DZAMKS”-album editing and creating, “radio netizen”-webradio support, Junior Music Studio: “Think Floyd”, “Nafta”album editing and creating, Áron, Lajkó Anett: “Park”, “authentic vojvodina” NGO support, Aleksandar Botić,
• Magazine and movie publishing (“Suboticke”-highschoolers magazine, Cruzer Team video 2008, School newspaper by Grammar school, “regional” magazine, “symposion”,
• Festivals & concerts (POLIS fest-Roma festival, Kosztolányi Dezső Szinház: „Strange Party“, Etnofest, summer 3p, ambush music fest,

 

 

2. ALL own projects by topics:

Year 2005:

 

• Education and Workshops (“globalization and Subotica-view of the youth”, “skills of communication”)
• Exhibitions and promotions (“Irish talents on movie”)
• Magazine and movies publishing (“Flash- cultural magazine”)
• Festivals & concerts (“awaiting the new years eve on the main square”)
• “about dragons and people” exibition
• “urban cowboys” book presentations
• “kick in the brain” comics
• “north-northwest” music compilation

 

 

Year 2006:

 

• Magazine and movies publishing (Creating and printing FOKUS magazine)

 

 

Year 2007:

 

• Theatre and performances (“Medijala” art workshop,
• Education and Workshops (creative workshops, photo WS, movie WS, literature WS in  Hungarian, literature WS “Fus Notes”, psychodrama WS, )
• Exhibitions and promotions (book promo.: ”French Calendar”-Oleg Tomic, book promo.: “sex and province”-by Larisa Inic, Selected poems of Pere Peic)
• Magazine and movies publishing (“KARTON”-“cardboard” magazine, compilation of Subotician electronic music DJ’s)
• Festivals & concerts (“free zone” film festival, “Veliki Prezir” concert, European film show-up, “trenchtown” music festival, “string” festival for the unrecognized musical artists,

 

 

Year 2008:

 

• Calls for literature works
• Remembrance and commemoration programs
• Theatre and performances
• Education and Workshops (creative WS’s,
• Exhibitions and promotions (literature, art and musical promotions,
• Magazine and movies publishing (“Flash” cultural magazine, “KARTON”-“cardboard” magazine,
• Festivals & concerts (festival of love and wine, concert for  youth activism, “trenchtown” festival, literature festival,

 

 

Year 2009:

(planned and implemented activities)

 

• Calls for literature works
• Remembrance and commemoration programs
• Theatre and performances
• Education and Workshops (creative workshops,
• Exhibitions and promotions (literature, art and musical promotions,
• Magazine and movies publishing (“KARTON”-“cardboard” magazine,
• Festivals & concerts (festival of love and wine, “trenchtown” festival, String festival, “Ambush”festival, literature festival,

 

 

4. A FEW WORDS ABOUT SOME OF THE FOKUS FOUNDATION'S MAIN PROGRAMMES

“KARTON”- Cultural magazine

This magazine comes out four times per year, as we print a full colour- cultural propaganda which is dedicated to literature, culture and art. The magazine is free of charge and comprises out of texts in Serbian and Hungarian language.  It has a very thematic character and contains Poetry, Prose, Essays, Visual Art.

The theme of this year’s first number is sexuality (and youth), and the magazine itself was illustrated by young artists.

All text in it is written for the cardboard magazine by young people living in our community. It works with specific topics from various aspects in different ways, as from phenomenological analyses, sociological and psychological theories, all towards to prose, art, influence of the media..

Each new edition approaches a certain topic, includes additional texts, interviews, essays, presentations of artists, theatre plays, books, internet pages and generally any topic that applies to contemporary cultural life.

As a non-profit magazine, it wishes to reach all the interested ones, with the aim of promoting values of spiritual life, tolerance, awareness and consciousness building.

Furthermore, the paper targets young people, though through its content and its attitude it is interesting for all those following this approach to life.

 

Trenchtown festival

“Trenchtown” festival started as an initiative of young people of Subotica wishing to reaffirm the city’s’ well known culture -on creating a fusion of modern creativity from the local and international musicians, comics drawers, ecologists, amateur radio users, movie and animation producers, jugglers and dancers.

The festival is held at a specific location, deep in the heart of the Palic forest near to the city border of Subotica, at an abandoned cottage (Etno Camp).

As part of the festival there’s a camp which functions very well, as the festival visitors and guests can find place to rest.

Apart from the musical programs, various workshops were held on Serbian and Hungarian languages, free of charge (photo WS, literature WS, comics WS, journalist WS, drama WS).

This year, the festival had three stages with 101 musical performers from ten countries.

The musical program had famous artist such as “Cubismo” group from Croatia, “Anima Sound System” from Hungary, well known national stars such as Rambo Amadeus, Eyesburn, Orthodox Celts, Darkwood Dub, Ajs Nigrutin, Ghetto Campania, Samba from Novi Sad, Drum and Zez, Perpetuum Mobile, Repetitor, Pionir 10, Ana Never, Irie FM, and many others.

On the DJ Plato many famous masters of the electronic sounds performed such as Oliver Ho (London), Steve Gerard (London), Tarmo Vannas (Estonia), Poli (Hungary), Amor (Croatia).

At the reggae stage, performers such as Chalice Sounde System (France), Love Allience (Hungary), Memo Records (Hungary), “Nesvrstani” (Serbia), Unafected (Bosnia & H.), Yahstice Sound (Croatia), Yah Messen Yah (Serbia) had showed their greatest works.

This year’s motto of the festival was “tolerance is enjoyment!”-as this best illustrates the mission of this festival is bringing youth closer to each other and developing a democratic spirit, as for us this is prevalent since the entire project started off in Subotica –a city living in a complete multicultural atmosphere, in every and each sense.

More information on: www. trenchtown.org.

 

String festival

It's been the third year of organizing the String festival, which is an international music festival of unrecognized music bands. It is a competitive festival with overall prizes given.

Our goal is to support and empower music bands which do not have the opportunity to be heard and become recognized.

Furthermore, beside recognition we assure sponsorships in order to provide music groups start-up acts in the music world, through a competition -where our the Foundation itself and sponsors give out various musical instruments, but even more: album mixing, sound editing and music video making in professional studios, totally free of charge.

This year String festival’s lasted for two days with venue of the city stadium. This year, in the finals, 10 national music bands have taken part at the first day- from which the winning ones have continued to compete the next day in the international area. Apart from Serbian groups, Hungarian, Bulgarian and Bosnian bends have taken part in the festival.

Before this year’s festival competition- 70 music bands have registered and expressed their wishes to take part in this festival- 61 from Serbia and 9 from the region.

Some of the more successful bands are: dreDDup – Novi Sad, All the arms we need – Subotica, DžDž – Beograd, POP-UPS – Sombor, NoYz! – Beograd, My Fault – Novi Sad, Ja k’o Mile a Mile k’o konj – Novi Bečej, Spins – Negotin, Counter Ignition – Kovin, Through Art – Beograd; and international ones: Sake – Pula (Croatia) Avatar – Budimpešta (Hungary) Icarus down – Trbovlje (Slovenia), Phobia – Bosanski Brod (Bosnian & H.), Punkreas – Nikšić (Montenegro).

 

Creative workshops

FOKUS Foundation has always been open for a variety of innovative and creative Workshops (WS’s) which were free of charge and open for young people of Subotica and the rural areas.

Most of the WS’s FOKUS has supported or implemented were held in two cycles: in spring and autumn.

Some brief information about WS’s held until now:

Medijala art Workshop

Medijala is a creative workshop for learning techniques of fine art. At the end of each WS cycle the participants organize and exhibit their work. Mr. Goran Vuletic and Danijela Mamuzic are the moderators of the WS’s.

Photo WS

The participants taking part in the photo WS’s have the opportunity to learn the basics of photography, analogue and digital as well, the main elements of a photograph such as exposition, composition, the depth of a picture, etc. The participants are also actively taking part in the Trenchtown festival, where they can practice their knowledge in “real action”, by creating a series of photographies of “life at Trenchtown”. Moderator of this WS is Molnar Edvard. (Some of these pictures can be seen on www.trenchtown.org.)

Movie WS

In this WS participants watch and comment classical and modern movies, and then talk about the world that surrounds us. The moderator tries to facilitate a discussion in order to identify special characters and their behaviours. There is also a possibility to make a short movie during the workshop, using Trenchtown or the city of Subotica itself as a topic. Moderator of this WS is Darko Kovacevic.

Literature WS

During these WS’s participants read essays and other literary works. They analyze, interpret and conclude thoughts and ideas about the original writer. They look at the grammar, styling, individuality and the language used in texts.

Books, magazines, musical and art promotion and support

Throughout different programs, projects and events, we have constantly responded and supported initiatives and art & cultural products, which had been unnoticed, however proved to be precious artworks.

In the upcoming times, we plan to carry on supporting and endorsing amateur and recreational artists in order to reach wider social recognition and acceptance.

 

5.FUTURE PLANS AND STRATEGIES OF FOKUS FOUNDATIONS’

FOKUS Foundation generally envisions its future work in ................. shaping the cultural platform of programs available to young people in Subotica. ...

We plan to carry on fulfilling our mission through ........................ensuring quality cultural programmes for and with young people in our community. ...

Our foremost short term goal is the ...................

The long term aims we target are.......................

 

 

 

 

Volunteer Culture Club

 

Subotica has recently established its first Volunteer Culture Club modeled by European cultural centers. The first working meeting was held on June 30, at which about 20 young volunteers gathered, however, on the volunteer list itself there were about 30 reported. The leaders and coordinators of this project were Oskar Konja and Ana Patarčić, who introduced the programs and the ideas to the participants.

A definite number of volunteers expressed their wish to start the volunteer work at the cultural institutions from July 15, while the rest of the volunteers preferred to start with the work from 1 September. All the participants taking part in the volunteer program will receive their own volunteer booklet, documenting their activities, representing their working history and gained cultural experience, this way also assisting them in finding future employment. The project is being organized by the Fokus Foundation founded in Subotica.

- Program of providing volunteer work opportunities at cultural institutions in Subotica.

- Program of forwarding young volunteers from Serbia to Europe through the European Volunteer Service (EVS).

 

Don't rest on your laurels!

 

Don't oversleep a hundred years!

 

Put on your seven league boots!

 

VOLUNTEER CULTURE CLUB

 

Due to the lack of support of volunteer work provided by cultural institutions and the provision of opportunities to gain volunteer work experience in the city of Subotica, the Fokus Foundation decided to form the Volunteer Culture Club in September 2010 for those youngsters (aged between 14 and 35) who would be interested in taking part in the work of these cultural institutions. During this volunteer project, the Fokus Foundation works as a mediator and provider of supervisory and mentoring support.

 

Those interested in voluntary work can apply to join the work of the following institutions - Art Cinema 'Aleksandar Lifka', Cultural Center 'Bunjevačka matica', Children Theatre, School of Fine Arts 'De Mediči', Educational Center of Romas,  Fokus Foundation, Gallery 'Vinko Perčić', The Public Library of Subotica, Croat Cultural Center 'Bunjevačko kolo', Cultural Center of Romas, Hungarian Cultural Center 'Nepker', Modern Gallery 'Likovni Susret', City Museum of Subotica, National Theatre, Open University, Theatre 'Deže Kostolanji', Serbian Cultural Center 'Sveti Sava', Cultural Institution of Croats from Vojvodina, and some other civil organizations.

 

Travel and volunteer in Europe!

(EVS Program)

Each member of the Volunteer Culture Club Fokus, after having successfully accomplished the volunteer program and gained the adequate practical experience, will be presented with the opportunity to register with the EVS long-term volunteer program which provides volunteer work in the EU countries, and for which Fokus Foundation is officially accredited from April 2011.

The program of European Volunteer Service provides an opportunity for the youngsters of Subotica (aged between 18 and 35) to volunteer in one of the EU countries and Turkey as well, and it gives a chance for the young voluntary workers of the EU to apply for voluntary work in the Fokus Foundation itself. The EVS volunteer is free to decide on the country and the organization/institution where he/she wishes to do the voluntary work. The length of the volunteer program could be twenty days, or three, six, nine or twelve months, which also depends on the choice of the volunteer.

 

YOU CAN BECOME A MEMBER OF THE VOLUNTEER CULTURE CLUB IF YOU:

 

• fill in the application form on the following website: www.fokus-su.rs
• send your CV and your motivation letter
• after having been selected, you receive your volunteer booklet
• attend a personal interview at the cultural institution you have chosen to work for
• volunteer!
• have regular meetings with your mentor who follows and supervises your work and personal development
• gain valuable work experience and improve your skills! Write reports for your peers and future volunteers! The reports will be published on our website and the author of the most engaging report will be awarded.
• get an opportunity to register with the EVS for the long-term volunteer program in order to work in one of the EU countries.

 

 

DOING VOLUNTARY WORK AS...

... a non profit activity, a contribution to the well-being of your community and society

... an opportunity for the youth to gain valuable cultural experience and improve their skills, this way to become active citizens of their community

... making it possible for young people to become carriers of positive changes in local communities

...one of the most efficient ways to develop and strengthen public spirit

 

12 reasons why to volunteer:

 

• learning from professionals
• having fun
• developing working habits and new skills
• becoming an active participant of your community
• improving your conditions for future employment
• enriching your CV
• meeting interesting people and making new friends
• spending your free time in an organized and qualitative way
• traveling
• making yourself familiar with new cultures
• making friends with people from other parts of Europe
• expanding horizons