Federacija Institute
Background
The institute was founded by the artists Gregor Kamnikar, Andreja Podrzavnik and Snježana Premuš as a continuation of the activities of the OPS! Institute, established in 1997.
Exploring various strategies of contemporary art production, OPS! collaborated with numerous Slovene festivals and venues. It participated in a number of international projects with, for example, the Drama Theatre Pazardžik (BG), the Theatre of New Forms (BG), the Touch of Dutch Festival (NL), the Theatre in a Suitcase (BG), the Welser Figurentheaterfestival (AT) and the Festival of Children's Theatres (RS).
Projects
Numerous projects have taken place under the wing of Federacija. While most of them feature the core crew of about a dozen artists, works by other performers (coming from abroad as well) are frequently produced. Their venues of choice are often the Stara Elektrarna - Old Power Station and the Španski borci Culture Centre, yet their works take place elsewhere as well.
They have ventured into a number of artistic media, film and books included, as well as into theory. In the realm of the latter, Federacija has co-published a book (with the Maska Institute), titled Collective improvisation from Theatre to Film and Beyond and written by Sonja Vilč and in 2020, the book Poiesis of the Self, based on the performance and movement research undertaken by Snježana Premuš and Rok Vevar was issued in English and Slovenian versions.
In 2013, the collective absorbed (or merged with) the Kolektiv Narobov, with whom they organised the Naked Stage International Improvisational Theatre Festival.
Workshops
Federacija runs a number of different workshops for various age groups. They span from exploring dance in museums to presenting various correspondences between voice and movement.
International activities
In 2017, Federacija embarked on a two-year international project called Our Lives, which includes the creation of 8 new theatre productions and 52 public events (theatre performances, workshops, panels, lectures, etc.) in 18 different EU countries. Hosting artists from all 28 countries of EU, Our Lives explores the diverse ways of living in different countries and the question of their synergies and resonances.
During the Should I stay or should I go? project (2013–2014), 5 theatre companies from Austria, France, Germany, Slovenia and Sweden collectively created performances, workshops, a book and a feature film surrounding the question why people stay in or leave a place. It was conducted by 5 partner organisations: Die Gorillas (DE), Stockholms Improvisationsteater (SE), Combats Absurdes (FR), Theater im Bahnhof Graz (AT) and Kolektiv Narobov, represented by the organisation Federacija Institute Ljubljana (SI).