10th Anniversary of Mikser Festival!
This year, cultural organization Mikser presents its 10th edition of the Mikser Festival at a new location in the Lower Dorćol from the 24th until the 26th of May.
“Circulate” – the slogan of the festival that returns to the regional scene after last year’s break – in a dense way symbolizes the strategic partnership with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP Serbia). The goal of the partnership is to start a Platform for Circular Economy in Serbia which would open a new chapter and allow for collaboration between the cultural, creative and IT sector and sustainable development experts.
Strongly directed towards the future, the festival is dedicated to the topics of sustainable development and circular economy as a new culture of living and doing business. During the 72 hours of continuous dialogue between artists, designers, IT experts, urban planners, ecologists, innovative companies, but also young talents and students, will be dedicated to finding models for ensuring a brighter, more humane future.
One of the main locations of the 10th Mikser Festival – Museum of Science and Technology in Skender Begova street, the place where the first electric switchboard for public lightning and trams started back in 1893 – strongly symbolizes the concept of the program dedicated to innovations that enhance the quality of life for all citizens. The program of the festival will also take place in other spots in the Lower Dorćol, making this neighborhood Belgrade’s creative epicenter.
The festival will gather over 500 participants in 9 program areas, such as the Shift Conference, Circulation workshop, Innovation Expo, Design hub, CirculArt, Food for the Future, Eco Bazar, Mikser kids and the music program that will take place at the open stage of Dorćol Platz.
The main part of the festival is the international Shift Conference, that will gather some of the most prominent local and European experts, policymakers and change-makers who work towards a more sustainable and circular culture, as well as the representatives of all relevant local institutions who should be addressing this topic in Serbia.
Ready to exchange their knowledge and experience with their colleagues from the Balkans, through presentations, discussions and workshops of the Shift conference you will hear some of the key names in this field.
Gunter Pauli from Belgium – member of the Roman club and creator of the Blue Economy concept, Ladeja Godina Košir – enabler of circular economy in Slovenia, central and eastern Europe, Kari Herlevi – director of the department for circular economy in the Finnish Fund for the Future (SITRA), Tjaša Ficko – deputy mayor of Ljubljana and the person behind the Ljubljana European Green Capital project and many others.
In the Innovation Expo that will take place in the backyard of the Museum of Science and Technology will span on 3000 square meters. Innovators, companies, civil society organizations, green startups will all present their inspirational solutions for environmental protection. Here you will see ideas spanning design of Eco products and materials, modern solutions for agriculture, recycling, rational water use, renewable energy resources, digitization and smart city solutions, robotics, smart vehicles and other innovations in everyday life and business.
Mikser continues its open-door policy for young talents from creative fields. For a decade, it has been a training ground for the first professional steps of the most talented young designers and multidisciplinary artists.
The most impressive jury selection of the Young Balkan Designers contest, led by one of the biggest German and world renown contemporary industrial designers, Konstantin Grčić, is taking Mikser back to its origins – design. For the first time, in one place we will see the prototypes of all young designers from the region, inspired by circular philosophy. Among the 38 works selected, 12 are from Serbia.
Mikser’s artistic platform, Black Box, this year, under the title “Still Life” sets a new challenge for young artists and creates a space for their personal reflection on the future, hopes and expectations. Do we have a perspective as a civilization? Are we really awaiting a reality from the The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy? Or are we able to adapt to the climate and ecological chaos?
Surprises and innovations are not lacking in the musical part of the program either – Bella Technika will have their first concert on May 25th in Dorćol Platz, as their premier at the 10th Mikser Festival. After working together for several decades as part of the group Darkwood Dub, Bojan Drobac Bambi and Milorad Ristić Miki founded the band Bella Technika.
When Katarina Jovanović, a true star of the European opera scene, joined the band as a vocal, completely new and original musical energy emerged. Band announced their first album “Section” on May 13th, and the critics describe it as the best regional album of the club music.
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