What does the Međunarodni Dječji Festival mean to me?

Swallows swooping in intricate choreography over the Summer Stage, while audiences buzz in anticipation of unknown wonders to materialize.

Little squares filled with children making art.

A window on the world, or many windows, providing glimpses focused by artists to expand perceptions and stimulate imaginations while reinforcing our shared humanity.

The birth of friendships that continue unrestricted by space and time.

Children singing, dancing, laughing, making art, watching art…

Professional journalists mentoring children to interview artists, write articles and reviews and do video reportage.

Artists, critics, scholars sitting around the press conference table engaging with curiosity, exploring the works presented to uncover, understand and illuminate the intentions and effects of the work. (I will never forget a press conference when the content and style of a puppet production was deemed by the critics to be lacking in originality and authenticity. The director of another Croatian puppet company then said, “we must help our brothers and sisters to find their way.”)

Circles of dancers in traditional clothing holding hands and moving in harmony – an embodied metaphor of shared purpose, and a living, breathing, moving legacy of culture.

The marble stones of Šibenik resonating with the beautiful harmonies of Klapa ensembles.

Sunshine on marble pavements, streets decorated with colourful triangular flags filled with families, fireworks over the dome of Sv. Jacob and reflected in the harbour, the festival flag flying over the Summer Stage…

During the War for the Homeland, the Festival played an amazing role, and there were many experiences that touched Bob and me deeply.

Performances in bomb shelters, cellars, refugee camps, villages, a school turned into a residence for disabled refugees from Bosnia i Hercegovina, so many islands (including Krapanj, where I jumped into the unsuspecting arms of a tall policeman to escape Bob’s Eagle). Even a camp for recruits hidden in a pine forest. After our performance they danced and sang, twirling us around and lifting us on their shoulders.

Children painting the wooden barricades protecting buildings with bright scenes of Šibenik life.

Visiting a boy, Tomaslav, in the hospital and being welcomed by him to Šibenik in English. Famous poets reading their work to children in cellars.

Children from villages climbing over the seats of the auditorium in Solaris to get to the front.

All of Croatia holding the Festival for Šibenik, when it was too dangerous to have it there, even erecting summer stages.

Singing Simple Gifts at the chancel in bombed churches.

Convincing Ante Pulić to let us perform in Vodice, which had not had performances since the start of the war. Children insisting they wait in the seats for two hours before the show stated, the priest telling us it would rain (we said it wouldn’t and it didn’t), waiting for the church service to end so everyone could attend – which they did standing on all sides of the square – and then Bob and I joining the entire Festival staff and everyone singing for hours.

So much singing, everywhere…

Why is the Međunarodni Dječji Festival remarkable and important?

It has manifested a holistic vision of children being involved in every aspect of the Festival, mentored by professionals. This window on the world provides a unique opportunity for all those who attend and who participate – delighting, challenging, inspiring, stimulating, nourishing and enriching hearts, minds, bodies and spirits. The arts communicate on many levels and help us to be more aware of our world, to see and hear in new ways, to think more deeply and with more compassion. Participating in art making develops the
imagination and the ability to solve problems and to think “out of the box”. Neurologically, art activities stimulate the communication between the receptive and expressive hemispheres of the brain. Experiencing art in community is part of our human heritage, traditions that evolved concurrently with the development of our species. It is such an important part of being human.

I am reminded of our first visit to the Festival in 1991, during which Croatia declared its independence. In a curious foreshadowing, Ukraine sent a beautiful production of L’enfant et les Sortilèges. The production was elaborate, with full orchestra, ballet, singers, and a backdrop that covered the whole facade of the city hall… the company actually apologized for not being able to bring the entire set! The Ukrainian Minister of Culture was asked how Ukraine could justify spending so much on art with the financial problems it faced. He replied simply, “A country without culture is no country.”

May the Međunarodni Dječi Festival flourish forever!

Dana M. Luebke