Female Street Art Incubator
Female Street Art Incubator
# Female Street Art Incubator: A New Project Empowering Female Street Artists Is Underway
A new initiative on the Balkan street art scene is the two-year project Female Street Art Incubator, which has brought together female artists from Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Germany with the aim of empowering them to pursue street art.
The project began with an intensive residential programme in Dragačevo, Serbia, where participants had the opportunity to learn everything from mural production, different types of walls and paints, to building their own brand, writing project applications, and putting together a strong portfolio. During the programme, participants developed their own project proposals and submitted them for consideration. Later, at the Graffiti na Gradele festival, an award ceremony was held at which one artist from each participating country was selected for the **Female Rising Star Award**, giving them the opportunity to paint a mural at one of the four partner festivals.
But why does all this matter? It is no secret that the number of men and women on the street art scene is disproportionate to varying degrees around the world. There are many reasons for this, and they differ from one scene to another. One way to address this imbalance is through a project that provides the knowledge, support, and community that female artists need.
The programme's mentoring component brought together street artists, festival organisers, and art managers, who shared their knowledge daily through theory, practical work, and advice. Australian artist Georgia Hill and art manager Charlotte Pyatt worked with the participants every day on their sketches, offering guidance for their future artistic development. Through lectures, they also explored the most important aspects of artistic practice relevant to emerging female artists.
“Creating a space where participants are encouraged not only to create but also to bring their work onto a wall, see it on a large scale, recognise the strengths of the person standing next to them, and realise what they can learn from one another is incredibly valuable. I think they learned things they might otherwise have taken another year, two, or three to discover,” says Georgia Hill, one of the programme's mentors, reflecting on her experience at the camp.
Regional artists Jana Danilović and Aleksandra Petković TKV shared their experiences of developing their artistic practices and building careers in street art, from their beginnings to the present day. Meanwhile, Maja Stojanović Zmaja, Vuk Đurić Endo, Benjamin Čengić Zian, and Strahinja Babić introduced the participants to the practical aspects of mural production, working with cherry pickers, and understanding how applications to create work at festivals function.
But don't just take our word for it. Here's what Rina Barbarić, one of the participants, had to say about her experience:
“My experience at the camp exceeded all my expectations. The programme they put together for us was of an exceptionally high professional standard. They considered every aspect of street art, both theory and practice, and managed to convey all that knowledge to us brilliantly in such a short time. Having the opportunity to learn from mentors of an international calibre is also something that happens very rarely, especially in street art, which is often underestimated in the academic world. Opportunities to discuss and create work within this art form at such a professional level are therefore scarce. What touched me most was the selfless sharing of knowledge, helping us find shortcuts to success and build a safe community.”
During their stay, each participant developed a mural proposal that automatically entered the competition for the **Female Rising Star Award**. The award provides financial support and the opportunity to realise a mural in one of the partner countries. Four awards were presented, one for each participating country.
The programme culminated at the Graffiti na Gradele festival in Bol, on the island of Brač, in July 2026, where the participants reunited and attended the award ceremony. The winners were Helena Nemec from Croatia, Jelena Vezmar from Serbia, Laila Mušić from Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Luiza [surname to be confirmed] from Germany.
In September, Luiza will paint her mural at the Fasada festival in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Next year, Jelena will create her mural at Stadt.Wand.Kunst. in Germany, Helena will paint at DUK Festival in Serbia, and Laila will take part in Graffiti na Gradele in Croatia.
“The FSAI camp brought together a small community of completely different women and opened doors to places and experiences that many of us never expected. I'm grateful for the award and for the opportunity to bring to life a piece that has become very close to my heart. Although the award is in my hands this year, I believe that every girl could just as easily have received it. I can't wait to see what painting in Germany will bring, and I'm excited to see where each of the girls goes from here!” shares Jelena Vezmar, one of the award winners.
[Female Street Art Incubator (FSAI)](https://www.instagram.com/fsai_streetart/) is an international, two-year project that supports female street artists through a range of activities, from education and mentorship to mural production and international networking. The project is implemented by four established street art festivals: DUK Festival in Serbia, Graffiti na Gradele in Croatia, Fasada in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Stadt.Wand.Kunst. in Germany. It is supported by the Creative Europe programme.
