The ‘Novi Sad 2021’ Foundation has carried out the fifth evaluation within the public call for financial support to local artists and cultural workers for realisation of a study or research trip to Japan within the ‘Kizuna’ exchange programme.

This project is implemented in cooperation with the ‘EU-Japan Fest’ organisation and it encourages mobility of members of Novi Sad cultural scene and establishes cooperation with Japanese cultural organisations and artists.

The fifth phase of the evaluation of the proposed projects has been done by the selection panel. The suggested project is sent to the EU-Japan Fest for review, which will be followed by the final decision on selection of candidates. The total amount of the financial grant for realisation of the study trip for applicants is 100,000 yen.
The selection panel has decided to recommend the following candidates and their project ideas:

Luka Kulić

Ljiljana Maletić Vojvodić

Dragan Vojvodić

We remind that the public call for ‘Kizuna’ programme is continuously open, and that expert services of the ‘Novi Sad 2021’ Foundation will continue to work on development of suggested projects with all candidates in order to provide help with drafting successful applications.

Experiences from Japan – Marko Kaćanski and Milan Veličković at the ‘Kizuna’ Exchange Programme

Last autumn, four representatives from Tendoryu Aikido Novi Sad club – Seiunkan visited Japan within the ‘Kizuna’ project for establishing connections and cooperation with artists from Japan. Milan Veličković, member of the club, says that the aim of the visit was to meet Aikido masters, artists and performers from Japan who would like to visit Novi Sad and work together or independently in some of our projects, as well as to present the idea for the foundation of Japanese centre in Novi Sad.

‘During the three-week stay we had a chance to meet people and practice Aikido in Japan Ministry of Defence, Nitai University and famous Tendokan dojo. Since Aikido is the only traditional Japanese martial art that includes a non-violent confrontation between practitioners, it is being practised during seminars. Therefore, our plan is to organise European Tendoryu Aikido seminar in Novi Sad in 2021. This will be a great chance to gather fans of Aikido from Europe, Japan and other countries in Novi Sad’, stressed Veličković.

Marko Kaćanski, director from Novi Sad, visited Japan in order to exchange experience with Japanese creators of PC games and make a documentary. His impressions about the stay are:

‘Our friends from Japan were surprised when I explained my plans about the documentary about the Japanese independent scene and they expressed interest for cooperation in the next project. The project will be useful for Japanese and local independent PC gaming community. It was a pleasure to be their guest’, said Kaćanski.