Opera Lab and Atrium Empower Young People Through Creative Exploration

On 10 and 11 December 2025, Opera Lab (Serbia) successfully organized a two-day cross-border creative workshop in Belgrade, in partnership with Atrium (North Macedonia). The activity was implemented with the support of the Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO) – WB Youth Cultural Fund and brought together young people aged 18–25 from the region for a unique artistic and reflective experience.

The workshop was inspired by the immersive monodrama Crocodile, using its themes as a starting point for exploring gender identity and gender nonconformity. Over the course of two days, participants engaged in a series of creative exercises designed to address the emotional and social challenges that can arise from these experiences, including exclusion, internal conflicts, peer pressure, and discrimination.

Through the Sesame drama therapy approach, combined with selected choreographic and movement practices, participants were encouraged to explore their personal stories, emotions, and identities in a safe, confidential, and non-judgmental environment. The workshop emphasized creativity as a tool for dialogue, empathy, and self-reflection.

The process was guided by an interdisciplinary team consisting of theatre director Ana Grigorović, actor Đorđe Živadinović Grgur, psychologist Mirjana Marković, and andragogue Maja Maksimović. Their collaborative approach combined storytelling, movement, imagination, and guided reflection, creating a supportive atmosphere where participants could openly engage with questions of identity, belonging, and self-expression.

Throughout the workshop, young participants worked individually and in groups, sharing perspectives and experiences while building connections across borders. The sessions encouraged openness, trust, and creative experimentation, demonstrating how artistic methods can create meaningful spaces for dialogue on sensitive social topics.

The Belgrade workshop represents an important step in strengthening regional youth collaboration through culture and the arts. By bringing together participants from different backgrounds, the project fostered mutual understanding and highlighted the role of creative practices in addressing complex social issues.

Opera Lab and Atrium are grateful to RYCO – the Regional Youth Cooperation Office for supporting this initiative through the WB Youth Cultural Fund, which enables young people in the Western Balkans to collaborate, learn from each other, and build stronger intercultural connections.