Freeing Minds through Art: FemArt 2025 Opens with Bold Performances
Under the theme of identity, memory and coexistence, the 13th edition of the International Festival of Artists and Activists, “FemArt”,hosted by ArtPolis, unfolded over six vibrant days in Prishtina. This year’s motto, “Free Your Mind,” set the tone for a deeply engaging program that kicked off on 16 June with an electrifying opening night at the AMC Hall. The audience was captivated by “Shkodra Elektronike,” an experimental performance that blended electronic music with traditional motifs, creating a powerful multisensory experience.
In the days that followed, the program featured a series of international theatrical performances. Notably, the Italian collective Biloura presented “Silent Voices,” while “I Am Her” and “The Women of Troy” explored interethnic, multigenerational and multilingual experiences of violence, trauma and women’s empowerment. These performances united artists from Kosovo and Serbia, marking inspirational moments of cross-border artistic and political collaboration.
Activists Explore Mental Health and Burnout in the Arts and Activism
This year, the International Conference “Art + Mind: Healing, Mental Health & Burnout in Creative Resistance” addressed an often taboo topic in Kosovo – mental health and burnout. The conference featured three panel discussions exploring art as a healing tool both for individuals and society, mental health challenges within creative industries and burnout among artists and activists, respectively. Panels brought together a diverse group of artists, activists and clinicians from Kosovo, Serbia, Ukraine, France, the UK and the United States.
One panel featured Adelina Berisha from the Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN), Program Director for Addressing Gender-based Violence. She shared insights into intersections of activism, empathy and emotional resilience.
Art as Healing and Solidarity: Transcending Pain through Creative Expression
The opening panel focused on art as a medium for healing. Through dance, theatre, poetry, and painting, panelists expressed how creative practices have helped them process personal and collective pain—from experiences of war and patriarchy to everyday emotional hardships. Many described art as their lifeline, often repeating the powerful phrase: “Art saved me.”
Beyond individual healing, art was also embraced as a tool for connection and solidarity, as a means connect us all, not just within communities, but globally.
Through her poetry on dance, Janet Reineck described art as a universal language that transcends borders, helping us reach beyond selfhood and what separates us. In solidarity she declared: “You’re not alone. Dance, rise, speak as one voice so you will be heard… We witness, we embrace, we bring our hearts and our help. We rise together, we jump, we sing out, we dance our sisterhood.”
Burnout and Beyond: Mental Health and Gendered Systemic Pressures in Creative Work
The second panel focused on mental health concerns in the creative sector. Approaching it from a more clinical perspective, Dr. Mariel Leclère described burnout as when “you reach the limits of your body psychologically and mentally… it’s an overwhelming state by doing a lot of work and not really listening [to] your needs – mentally and physically.” She emphasised that it’s the body’s way of signaling the need to slow down, often manifesting as exhaustion, muscle stiffness, depression and anxiety.
A shared reflection across the panel was how deeply women in particular have been conditioned to keep going – to push through, seek validation, achieve success or people-please- rather than slow down, tune into our emotions and give ourselves time to heal. Panelists highlighted the importance of setting boundaries, creating healing environments and engaging in solidarity and mutual support.
While burnout was discussed as a personal challenge, it was recognised by all as a systemic issue, with gendered dimensions and structural roots in patriarchy and capitalism. These systems were described as perpetuating structural violence for those in the creative industry and beyond, with burnout emerging as one of its most visible symptoms.
Burnout, Resilience, and Healing: Navigating the Emotional Toll of Activism
The theme of burnout carried into the third panel session opened by Shqipe Malushi, a self-proclaimed feminist “since the day she was born”. Like many activists, she took on the responsibility at a young age of “fixing the world and bringing joy”. Working in war zones and experiencing personal tragedy, she suffered burnout. Yet, Malushi offered a powerful reframe: burnout, she said, should not be a source of shame, but an opportunity for growth and reflection. “Burnout is something that has helped me build courage,” she shared, comparing it to “an engine that pushes you to move forward.” She emphasised the importance of self-forgiveness, learning from your mistakes, healing through creative expression and meditation, and acknowledging that grappling with mental health, particularly as an activist, is often a lifelong journey.
Adelina Berisha expanded on these ideas, drawing from her dual experience as a trained psychologist and gender-based violence expert. She emphasised empathy as central to activism. Activists, she noted, often carry the emotional weight of others’ suffering and feel compelled to make change. For women, particularly those working in gender justice NGOs, this burden is compounded by patriarchal norms, financial precarity, and in Berisha’s case, the emotional toll of working closely with survivors of gender-based violence. The result, she noted, is a perfect storm for burnout. “We need to take care of our feminist activists so they can stay motivated in their work on gender equality,” she said. “Amid these times of uncertainty, when we see shrinking spaces for support for the feminist movement, we should stand together in solidarity and support one another.”
Berisha reflected on her early years at KWN when there was little awareness about burnout and strategies of self-protection. She stressed the importance of proactively supporting staff mental health, not only for organisational performance, but also for fostering a healthier society. She shared that in recent years, KWN has taken meaningful steps to create a space for their staff’s emotional wellbeing – through workshops, group sessions and access to professional support, even reflecting this commitment in their budgeting. ”KWN provides psychological support for its staff, and we are working closely with shelters and day centers to create safe spaces. These spaces allow them to talk freely about their experiences and help prevent burnout and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, which can result from long-term work with survivors of gender-based violence and other daily issues affecting women.”
She added that in the coming days, KWN will support a three-day workshop for shelter workers focused on dealing with emotional distress and preventing burnout, facilitated by psychologists and psychotherapists.
The panel also spotlighted the struggles faced by marginalised groups, including LGBTIQ+ activists – highlighting the intersectional barriers that arise when defending and promoting human rights amid persistent stigma and discrimination. LGBTIQ+ activist Rajmonda Sylbije spoke candidly about the difficulty in accessing psychological support both for herself and others in her community.
Overall, the “Art + Mind” conference offered a powerful reminder that healing from and preventing burnout involves both personal effort and political resistance. Caring for our mental health, especially amid the intersecting struggles of those living under gendered oppression, is not a luxury but a necessity. This care must be integrated into our institutions and daily lives, while confronting and transforming the systemic roots of harm.
Celebrating Life and Art: FemArt’s Uplifting Closing Ceremony
On the final day, under the open sky of City Park, artists and activists gathered for rest, self-care and solidarity. Janet Reineck and World Dance Kosova led a vibrant and joyful dance event. Movement, laughter and rhythm flowed freely in a collective expression of release and togetherness.
The closing celebration of FemArt 2025 truly felt like a festival. The final evening program gave space to Fête de la Musique 2025, headlined by the French group “Tentative,” whose performance transformed the conclusion of this six-day journey into a celebration of life, resilience, and the power of art to unite.
We can’t wait to hear what surprises, solidarity and inspiration FemArt will bring next year!
