CREATIVE VIBES: COLLABORATION OF THE YOUNG MUSICIANS FROM THE WESTERN BALKANS

COLLABORATION OF THE YOUNG MUSICIANS FROM THE WESTERN BALKANS

🎵 Let your voice, your instrument, or your beat become part of a shared song that unites the entire region!

Applications for the “Creative Vibes” project are now OPEN!
We invite young musicians from Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, and Montenegro to apply for “Creative Vibes”, a regional project designed to foster creative exchange and cross-border collaboration among young musicians from the Western Balkans. Through networking and joint artistic creation, the project aims to open new spaces for learning, cooperation, and inspiration for young musicians.

If you’re eager to connect with fellow musicians from across the region, to create music inspired by the rich soundscapes of the Balkans, and if you believe that music has the power to break down barriers, spark change, and build bridges – this call is for you!

│The project is financially supported by the European Union (EU) and the Western Balkans Fund (WBF).

🎯 What’s it about?

“Creative Vibes” is envisioned as a stimulating, safe, and inclusive space for intercultural dialogue, creative exchange, and professional networking for young musicians from the Western Balkans (Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, and Montenegro). Despite a shared cultural heritage, young musicians from the region rarely get the opportunity to collaborate, learn from one another, or create together. “Creative Vibes” offers an ideal platform for those who want to explore the musical traditions of the Western Balkans, while building regional friendships and long-term artistic partnerships.

The project also brings together artists interested in reimagining traditional Balkan music in contemporary ways – creating something truly new and authentic.

│Alongside the Music Opera Theatre Organization (MOTO), which is leading the project, partners include Polyhymnia from Skopje (North Macedonia), Zrcalo from Podgorica (Montenegro), and AkustikUm from Tuzla (Bosnia and Herzegovina).

👥 Who are we looking for?

We’re calling on young musicians aged 18 to 30 based in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, and Montenegro. Whether you’re a professional musician, a music student, a self-taught artist, or part of a band, if you’re passionate about learning, creating, and connecting through music, not only with fellow artists but also with your own artistic identity, then “Creative Vibes” is for you. Join the story that transcends borders through the power of art.

💡 Why should you apply?

✅ Discover the rich and interconnected musical traditions of the Western Balkans
✅ Develop your skills in musical analysis, interpretation, composition, and storytelling
✅ Learn how to blend traditional sounds with contemporary genres
✅ Work with experienced mentors and musicians from across the region
✅ Get the chance to be selected for an in-person workshops in Petnica Science Center (Valjevo in Serbia), where you’ll create and perform original music with your peers
✅ Showcase your talent and work to a broader audience
✅ Build lasting friendships and artistic collaborations
✅ Become part of a story that promotes a culture of dialogue, cooperation, and unity through art

What Will Your Journey Through the “Creative Vibes” Project Look Like?

• Apply to participate (by June 1st)
• Selection and notification of participants (no later than June 5th)
• Online introduction of participants and mentors
• Participation in educational and interactive webinars
• Participation in the creative challenge (a music competition)
• Selection of 12 scholarship recipients (3 from each country) for a residential stay and creative workshops at the Petnica Science Center in Valjevo, Serbia (July 20–27)
• Final concert “Balkan on Stage” at the amphitheater of the Petnica Science Center

What Does the Educational Webinar Program Include?

• Western Balkans Musical Traditions: Dominant Genres, Styles, and Forms
• Western Balkans Musical Traditions: Voices, Instruments and their Expressive Potential
• Music as a Tool for Cultural Expression: Thinking Beyond National Borders
• Diving Deep: Analytical and Research Techniques and Methods in Music
• Online Workshop: Musical Journey through the Western Balkans: Comparative Listening
• Adaptations of Balkan Music into Western Musical Forms: Opera as a Case Study
• The Soundtrack of Belonging: Songwriting and Storytelling
• Reviving Western Balkans Musical Heritage in Contemporary Music

How to Apply?

Fill out the application form no later than June 1st!

• Aplikaciona forma (srpski)
• Application Form (English)

All submitted applications will be carefully reviewed, and selected participants will be notified via email. Please note that during the selection process, we will aim to ensure fair representation of different communities from all participating countries.

📧 For any questions or technical difficulties during the application process, write to us at: creativevibes.balkan@gmail.com

👉 Once you’ve completed your application, feel free to share this call with your fellow musicians because the more of us there are, the more ideas will come to life!

Selection Process – Creative Vibes

The selection is based on the review of completed application forms, which include basic information, elements from the applicant’s CV, an overview of their level of musical knowledge and familiarity with Western Balkan music, as well as their motivation for participation. A professional panel will review all applications and evaluate them based on the following criteria:

• Musical skills – technical ability, expressiveness, and musical literacy;
• Motivation – demonstrated interest in artistic development, collaboration, and participation in the project;
• Creativity and potential for teamwork – openness to co-creation and sharing experiences with others;
• Belonging to minority and marginalized groups – the project promotes equality, equity, and inclusion.

Code of Conduct and Project Visibility

The project promotes values of openness, inclusion, and intercultural respect. Any discriminatory behavior (online or in person) will result in disqualification from the project.

All project activities will be documented and may be used for promotional purposes (e.g., on partner websites, social media, and in both digital and traditional media).

The official language of the project is English.