The project EU - Work in Progress... is a joint project of the GOETHE-INSTITUT Skopje and OSTEN World Gallery of Cartoons Skopje with the aim to feel the pulse of how “the watchful eye of the society” – the cartoonists – are perceiving EU, and to transmit messages of the European values – togetherness, solidarity and common future.
With its network and its cooperation, the Goethe-Institute supports a common European cultural space and cultural diversity, addresses critical positions and connects non-European and European perspectives. Osten pays considerable attention to the new trends and young emerging cartoonists, while recognizing established cartoonists who already best owed their creativity on paper.
 
JUSTIFICATION
Skopje, N. Macedonia, through the World Gallery of Cartoons (established 1969), for decades was “the center of the world” for cartoonists worldwide. Moreover, in the time of the Iron Curtain, because of Macedonia’s neutrality (it was in the frame of Yugoslavia back then), Skopje was a meeting point for the cartoonists of both West and East, while the Eastern-countries cartoonists didn’t participate in the events organized by the Western-countries cartoonist organizations, and vice versa.
Unfortunately, due to the huge national, regional and global processes that had (and still have) big impact on the cartoon art, N. Macedonia is facing the jeopardy of disappearing of this “most democratic expression in any society” (Karel Capek) – cartoons – the genre of critical observation of the society. Even more important, N. Macedonia is facing the lack of objective media, and the lack of appropriate and creative ways that will make people (especially the young generation) understand the political, social, and technological developing processes in the country, Europe, and worldwide.
The cartoons (the art of message transmission) are the best possible multifunctional tool (if not a weapon) to sharpen the people perception, to develop a common sense for critical thinking, analyzing the situation, detecting the problems and – react on a critical, but intelligent and funny way. It is an especially proper way to provoke critical thinking and to empower the young population, because we strongly believe the project outcomes will be of great help to their development into responsible citizens who will recognize the true values in the society. We are certain that those values should be implement in their minds from the early stage of their personal development. Later – it might be too late!
 
OBJECTIVES

• To boost the public awareness for the European values by introducing cartoons on a topic “EU”
• To strengthen the capacity for objective and critical perception about the EU
• To make a room for free expression & critical reactions
• To arouse interest on the important issues (as EU values) in particular among the young people by using digital channels
• To provoke curiosity and interest among the young generation for cartoons and to try to revitalize past glory of the Macedonian cartoonists, making fruitful soil for new generations of cartoonists
• To train young people in skills for perception, selection, prioritization and decision making by involving them in the online voting process, thus making them aware of importance of independent judgment, personal attitude and freedom of choice
• To give an opportunity to decide about the best cartoonists / cartoons by organizing appropriate system of online voting
• To provide an opportunity to the young people to learn from cartoonists in EU about the process of creation & techniques of drawing cartoons
• To provide promotion opportunity of creative work – the cartoons
• To provide awards opportunity

 
PROJECT ACTIVITIES

1. DIGITAL CARTOON CONTESTS
Two digital cartoons contests will be organized in a format of OPEN CALL on the topic “EU”, one contest for upcoming cartoonists and one for already established professionals.
               
OPEN CALL #1 - Contest for upcoming cartoonists

• Eligible countries: WB countries (travel expenses will not be covered)
• Eligible participants: cartoonists from the eligible countries from the age of 18 to 35
• Eligible format of cartoons: scanned hand drawn or digitally created cartoons on topic “EU”
• Jury of 3 members, 1 of the Osten Gallery, 1 of the Goethe-Institut, 1 external cartoonist expert
• Criteria: Topic-based, artistic / graphic representation, coherence, innovative, expressive, originality (not published before)
• 12-18 awards for upcoming cartoonists
• The winning cartoonists will receive a plaque and participate in the online event as jury members and in a work shop hold by the winner of the contest for established professionals
• All cartoons received in the contest will be exposed in a joint exhibition in the OSTEN Gallery and online (there will be 3 exhibitions in total – one online exhibition with the works of the upcoming cartoonists from the first contest, another online exhibition with the works of the established ones from the second contest and for the closing event there will be a joint exhibition of both groups at the OSTEN Gallery)

 
 OPEN CALL #2 - Contest for established cartoonists

• The 12-18 upcoming cartoonists will define criteria by filling out an online questionnaire with proposed answers for the transparent selection of the contest for established professionals
• By the appropriate system of online voting the 12-18 winners will choose three awards of the established cartoonists
• Eligible countries: Western Balkans and EU countries
• Eligible participants: cartoonists from the eligible countries from the age of 35
• Eligible format of cartoons: scanned hand drawn or digitally created cartoons on topic “EU”
• Three awards (out of the 12-18 chosen to be show in the exhibition) for already established cartoonists
• The winning cartoonists will receive a Plaque + participation in the online event
• The first winner will also receive (money prize / honoraria to hold a workshop)

 
2. ONLINE EVENT
Online discussion on the topic “EU” and simultaneously ‘Live drawing’ / live & online with the winners of the contest for already established professionals creating cartoons

• organized at the Goethe-Institute Skopje and from the studios of the 3 established cartoonists winning cartoonists – on Zoom and FB of the Goethe-Institut and OSTEN Gallery
• Cartoonists will create a cartoon(s) on topic “EU” by ‘live drawing’ and will be available for discussion
• The visitors who will join the event, will follow the discussion and watch the live drawing of the cartoonists
  Q/A on the EU issues – live and via posts on Zoom and FB
• Q/A to the cartoonists – live and via posts on Zoom and FB

 
3. CREATIVE WORKSHOP

• Creative workshop on the process of creating & techniques of drawing cartoons for young people / upcoming cartoonists at the OSTEN Gallery
• Training on the process of creation & techniques of drawing cartoons

 
4. ONLINE & MEDIA PROMOTION
On the partners’ websites & social media pages, but also on the local and global media.