2023-24

Floating EKA is a community-driven cultural foundation that uses the power of the arts and culture for social change. ”Floating” is at the heart of who
we are because the Baltic Sea
is a part of our identity.

It symbolises our diversity and openness and how we bring cultures, stories and experiences together. “Eka”, derived from Sanskrit, means “one”. For us,
it signifies unity and uniqueness.

ANNUAL REPORT

The years 2023–2024 have been a time of deep reflection and transformation for Floating EKA. Over these 2 years, we asked questions about inheritance, memory, and what it means to live side by side in an ever-changing world. We didn’t get easy answers. But it helped us stay present. And sometimes, that is enough.

At its core, Floating EKA has always brought people together—through dialogue, art, and shared experiences. These years showed us once again just how important that is.

Here are my personal best moments and reflection:

In April 2023, as part of the Najem Okazjonalny / “Occasional Rent” presentation in Szczecin, I suddenly realized I was sitting in my dream. A year earlier, we had conceived the project Sąsiedzi.Сусіди.Суседзі.Соседи, and now it was coming to life: a film screening on a house wall, volunteers reading on the stairs, a shared table in the courtyard, neighbors gathering to watch the film—some stepping outside, others peeking from their windows—and conversations about Szczecin and neighborliness over tea in a participant’s apartment. At that moment, I was reminded why we do what we do.

It was also incredibly important that in this project, despite the continuing war, we managed to bring artists from Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, and Poland together.

One of the most meaningful moments in 2024 was seeing how people from different places came together in the I Inherit What You Lost project. It was especially important that, alongside participants from Europe and the Caucasus, we also had artists from Central Asia.

Our first meeting took place at Teatr Mały in Szczecin. That evening, we reserved a table, and one by one, people started arriving—it was our artists, curators and partners. We hugged as if we had known each other for a long time. Many had traveled for over a day from different cities and countries. At this meeting something clicked—we could see it. Artists were completely in sync, on the same wavelength. They even took a trip together to the windy Baltic Sea. I am in awe of how this connection and collaboration came to life.

Through these projects, I realized where our true strength lies: in creating a space for creativity, sparking new connections, and providing support. This is exactly what we set out to do during the COVID era in 2021, and over the years, we have been steadily finding our way back to this core vision.

Looking ahead, Floating EKA remains open to change. In 2025, the foundation may evolve into something new. We are in the process of rethinking and reshaping what we do, discussing it as a team, and we hope to come back to you with fresh ideas next year.

None of what we do would be possible without our team, our artists, and everyone who has supported us along the way. Your presence makes all of this possible. Thank you for being part of this journey!

Tthe project explored dissonant heritage in Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Caucasus through artistic interventions. Exhibitions were organized in Szczecin and Prague, featuring 13 artists from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Russia (North Caucasus & Kaliningrad), Armenia, Belarus, and Azerbaijan

In 2023 and 2024, Floating EKA has undertaken several notable projects and, through these initiatives, has continued fostering cultural exchange, artistic collaboration, and historical reflection across borders.

The documentary theatre project exploring neighborhood relations across Ukraine, Poland, Belarus, and Russia in times when the neighborhood becomes a disaster. Performances were held in Vilnius, Berlin, Szczecin, Kyiv, and Tbilisi between February and April 2023

@floating_eka

online meetings with artists, cultural practitioners, and experts organized

applied for the I Inherit What You Lost project

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theatre pieces staged

artworks
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cultural offline events (performances, exhibitions, public talks) organized in 2023-2024

new followers on Social Media

people visited
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150 artists from 13 countries

4 documentary plays created by the teams were presented to the public between February and April 2023 in Szczecin, Kyiv, Vilnius, Berlin, Tbilisi and Granada. At the core of each play lies a real case, real experience, and real person. These include volunteer soldiers who went to fight for Ukraine, women from the Belarusian resistance, and forced migrants who find themselves in the same house, remaining anonymous and unknown to many “permanent” residents. Reflecting on the present, the teams delve into various historical periods of the “evil” 20th century, including recent ones, where the roots of today's problems may be hidden and into personal experiences as well: surviving bombings, underground protests, forced displacement, loneliness, and betrayal.

Floating EKA's team launched the artistic research project Sąsiedzi.Сусіди. Суседзі.Соседи. after February 24th 2022, the date after which it became clear to many: neighbouring turned into a catastrophe. Soon, 4 teams from 4 countries — Poland, Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia — joined the project to research and delve into the complex dynamics of neighbourhood relations through the medium of documentary theatre. Theatre directors, playwrights, sociologists, and anthropologists sought to find answers to the following questions: How can we be neighbours during a war and still remain human beings? What can we learn about each other and ourselves in unbearable conditions? Who are we? What choices do we make every day?

Premiere: 27.02.2023
Ośrodek Teatralny Kana, Szczecin, Poland

21.04.2023 Neighbour meeting in the courtyard of the residential building, Bolesława Śmiałego str., Szczecin, Poland

The immersive site-specific play “Occasional Rent” speaks about neighbouring countries in the context of forced migration. The documentary play begins by focusing on the personal narratives of Ukrainians who sought refuge in Poland amidst the war. All these voices regain their real sound thanks to the place where they are reproduced — here, at the staircase in one of the buildings in Szczecin. It serves both as a daily transit zone for forced migrants and a theatrical stage. The residents of this building and the audience are invited to read the answers to the question “Where are you from?” posted on the doors of the apartments. Undoubtedly, the project's location is important in this case — Szczecin became part of modern Poland in 1945 after the Potsdam Conference as part of the “Recovered Territories", and the building in which we observe the performance, “Occasional Rent", witnessed temporary neighbouring during and after World War II.

Furthermore, O. analyzes the events of the past 22 years of Ukraine's independence, aiming to unravel the question of why one neighbour would attack another. She sheds light on the stories of a Polish volunteer, a Ukrainian military journalist, and a Belarusian who decided to fight on the Ukrainian side after 24 February. For them, the new year of 2023 has yet to truly begin, as the lingering “luty” (meaning “February" in Ukrainian, Polish, and Belarusian) persists.

The documentary play “FEBRUARY” explores the significance of understanding neighbouring countries beyond their borders, delving into the aspects that require attention and contemplating whether this knowledge could have impacted the trajectory of the war and resistance against Russian aggression.

The protagonist of the play, O., a mother to her young daughter, M., grapples with the challenge of explaining things that she struggles to comprehend. Growing out of fairytales, we somehow accept the fact that there is neither good nor bad in real life. Until we face pure evil. What drives someone to display such wickedness, and what fuels their intense hatred towards you and your country?

Premiere: 09.03.2023
Kyiv, Ukraine

Premiere: 27.03.2023
European Humanities University, Vilnius, Lithuania

The documentary play “Maria's Neighbors” speaks about the experience of local neighbouring that became a lifeline for many citizens of the Republic of Belarus during the protests in August 2020. During that summer, Belarusian cities witnessed a notable increase in the formation of local chat groups, serving as platforms for people to access vital information regarding protest developments, detained individuals, those requiring assistance, and even the whereabouts of the police. This helped many avoid arrests and repression. The performance “Суседкi Марыi” shines a spotlight on one of these chat groups, where women from various age groups, who were previously neighbours, now find themselves dispersed across different countries. As forced political migrants, they gathered together for an evening to celebrate their
oldest friend's birthday by collectively preparing potato pancakes.

The story revolves around the encounter of individuals who feel disconnected, not only from each other but also from their own selves. It serves as a narrative of self-identification for the play's director, exploring how each heroine grapples with fundamental questions: Who am I? What choices do I make? Where is my home, and where do I belong?

Her statement was followed by several denunciations, a “comradely court” at the university, dismissal for “immoral behaviour”, threats of criminal prosecution, and, in the end, a trial under the article on “discrediting the army”.Her friends and former colleagues turned away from her, except for a few. In 2022, the state and society literally declared her an “enemy of the people”, resorting to the wording from the period of Stalinist repressions in the 1930s. Nonetheless, she remained steadfast in her convictions and did not regret her actions. Unfortunately, her life has been ruined as a consequence.

The play is based on an interview with the professor, as well as testimonies from several former students who stood by her side during the persecution and trials.

The documentary play “Discrediting” exposes a case of political persecution in Russia, specifically highlighting the role of denunciations. This narrative delves into the real story of discrediting, which undermines neighbourly relationships, challenges the notion of Russians as neighbours, and ultimately about the country of Russia as such.

In the play, the central character is a professor at a Russian university who, in the spring of 2022, voiced her opposition to the Russian war in Ukraine through social media platforms.

Premiere:
16.03.2023 virtual play reading in Zoom
23.04.2023 Quarteera, Berlin, Germany
24.04.2023 Reforum Space, Berlin, Germany

The artworks were showcased in Szczecin, Poland, on April 13-14, 2024. Some pieces were also exhibited in Prague, Czech Republic, at the Artivist Lab in May 2024.

I Inherit What You Lost is a project inspired by the responses of artists from the Eastern Partnership Countries and Central Asia to the theme of "dissonant heritage", inheritance and loss. Individual narratives intersect with official history and established geographies. By amplifying the voices of artists from these regions, the project embraces diverse approaches and perspectives existing simultaneously in one time and space. Art serves as a tool to uncover the parts of the past that have been erased from official memory, reshaping history into a collection of individual fortunes.

The artists selected through an open call developed their artworks after engaging in a series of meetings, workshops, and discussions with fellow artists, curators, and professionals over a period of 6 months.

Lab was designed to provide artists with a comprehensive understanding of dissonant heritage, incorporating insights from experts in sociology, anthropology, art, culture, and fact-checking. The Virtual Lab consisted of 4 webinars on Zoom, a series of practical sessions with experts and individual work.

Throughout this journey, 13 artists from Eastern Partnership countries and Central Asia, with the support of experts and a curator, have been exploring the "dissonant heritage" of their cities — embracing both tangible and intangible remnants from the challenging times of the 20th century and creating art project ideas.

On March 15, at our Virtual Lab final meeting, participants presented their inspiring ideas during a pitching session.

The event, organized by the Floating EKA Foundation in partnership with the Kana Theatre Centre, Lokatorne, the Academy of Art in Szczecin, and the Artivist Lab in Prague, featured a diverse exhibition of artworks.

Beyond the exhibition,
the program included:

• Panel discussions with artists and cultural experts, fostering in-depth conversations on historical memory and artistic interpretation
• City walks, offering an immersive exploration of Szczecin’s layered history
• Film screenings provide additional perspectives on dissonant heritage and collective remembrance.

After nearly 6 months of preparation, dialogue, and collaboration, the I Inherit What You Lost (IIWYL) project successfully unfolded in Szczecin, Poland.

The Prague edition of IIWYL continues Floating EKA’s mission of fostering cross-cultural dialogue and artistic collaboration. By highlighting diverse perspectives from across the post-Soviet space, the project challenges audiences to reconsider the past and engage in critical discussions about the future of historical narratives in public spaces.

In May 2024, Floating EKA hosted the
I Inherit What You Lost event series in Prague, Czech Republic. The exhibition featured artistic reflections from a diverse group of artists representing Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kaliningrad), Tatarstan , Chechnya , North Ossetia (Russia). The artworks examined historical narratives embedded in architectural and urban elements, fostering discussions on collective memory and cultural identity.

The event included a "Unnoticed War: Identity, Community, and Collective Memory in Astana" lecture by Temirtas Iskakov, a Kazakh architect, researcher, cultural activist, and curator. The talk, held at Artivist Lab, provided insights into the evolving identity and communal memory of Astana, Kazakhstan.

Venue: Artivist Lab, Hybernská 998/4, Prague, Czech Republic

Exhibition Duration:
May 30 – June 19, 2024

"Dziedziczę to, co utraciłeś". Wystawa w Szczecinie

In 2023 and 2024, more than 55 publications covered information about our events and projects online, in email lists, and on social media.

Poland | "I Inherit What You Lost" Artistic Laboratory

Floating EKA: ‘I Inherit What You Lost’ Artistic Lab Open Call

In 2023-2024, Floating EKA's budget amounted to

€29,000

As a non-profit art project, we can do as much as the support we receive. At the moment, we do not receive regular core funding. Your support makes an incredible difference to our work, allowing the Floating EKA team to continue developing ambitious and engaging projects.

If you want to contribute to Floating EKA development, you can make a one-off or recurring donation.

Thank you to our donors and partners for your trust and support.
Your commitment allowed our project to grow.

Thanks to the artists and curators whose creativity and dedication inspired us and made our projects unique.

Many thanks to our friends and supporters, to everyone who attended the performances, exhibitions, and open talks. Your presence, engagement, and conversations made this journey truly meaningful!

Floating EKA’s journey would not have been possible without each
and every one of you. Thank you for being with us!

Thank you