The Winter School titled “Gender and Art” was officially opened in Tuzla, bringing together students, academic lecturers, and artists from across the region. Organized by the University of Tuzla, TPO Foundation, and the University Gender Resource Center (UNIGeRC) at the University of Sarajevo, the school offers a comprehensive program of 18 lectures and workshops. The school runs until November 2 and gathers participants from 19 universities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia, and Montenegro, who will explore how gender dynamics influence various forms of artistic practice.

At the opening ceremony, speeches were given by Professor Vesna Bratovčić, Director of the TPO Foundation Dr. Zilka Spahić Šiljak, Dean Nihada Delibegović, and Program Director Jasmina Husanović. In her address, Dr. Zilka Spahić Šiljak highlighted the importance of regional cooperation, emphasizing that this school represents a significant step towards strengthening dialogue and networking in the Balkans.

The first day featured a lecture by Professor Adisa Bašić on “How to Avoid the Role of the Intruder in Literature: Theory and Practice,” which sparked interactive discussions about the influence of gender and cultural dynamics in artistic expression.

The Winter School provides participants with an opportunity for critical analysis of art from a gender perspective, integrating feminist theory, postcolonial studies, and queer theory. At the end of the program, the best works will be published in a collection, with the top three awarded cash prizes.