After a hot summer it’s time for new connections, friendships – it’s Smoqua season! LORI proudly invites you to the 8th Festival of Queer and Feminist Culture Smoqua from October 10th to 12th, 2024 in Rijeka.
Why join us?
Since 2017 Festival Smoqua is an intersection of arts and activism, where we question prejudice and fight for human rights together. More than 45 artists and activists, 20 organisations, collectives and initiatives from 10+ countries will guide us through 20+ events at 7 locations in the centre of Rijeka.
The overarching theme of the festival is Resistance and Resilience, highlighting the importance of preserving human rights in challenging times when they are particularly under attack, and emphasising the strength of togetherness and finding new ways to achieve social change. Hence, Smoqua offers a variety of events: workshops, exhibitions, performances, Queer City, games, Queer treasure hunt, great Queer-UP! Party! and many more.
What's in it for me?
THURSDAY, October 10th
15.00 – 15.30 Queer-Up Korzo: Catch the Rainbow!
Create a unique analogue Smoqua souvenir against the backdrop of the rainbow-wrapped Korzo. Also, you can queer-up social media with #Smoqua2024. Join us, let us handle everything and just say: Cheese!
Korzo 16, in front of City Hall
16.00 Festival Opening
Why do we (still) talk about the importance of combatting LGBTIQ-phobia in education? What awaits us during the three days of celebrating queer and feminist culture? Find out with the festival organisers.
RiHub, Ivana Grohovca 1/a
16.15 – 18.00 Panel discussion: LGBTIQ-phobia in Education + lecture by Peter Dankmeijer (NL)
School staff, organisations working with youth, and representatives of relevant institutions will discuss the position of LGBTIQ+ children and youth in schools. An expert from Global Alliance for LGBT Education (GALE) will talk about international practices and share his experience in the field.
RiHub, Ivana Grohovca 1/a
18.30 – 20.00 Queer City
Interested in human rights and youth work? What do LGBTIQ+ asylum seekers in Croatia or EU face? What does TIGV mean? Come over and chat with 10+ civil society organisations: Delta, SOS Rijeka, PaRiter, KolekTIRV, SKC Rijeka, ESN Rijeka, Rainbow Families, CMS, Proces and others.
In front of OKC Palach, Kružna 8
19.00 – 20.00 Archiving Matters (ES, HR)
Are voices of Roma women being heard? Who are the women who shaped feminism in the region? Why is documenting queer experiences and placing them in public spaces important? Explore with Alba Hernandez Sanchez (Feminist Collective of Romani Gender Experts), Brigita Miloš (Center for Women's Studies Rijeka) and Jan Orlić Krizmanić, author of the blog Kenozoik.
In front of OKC Palach, Kružna 8
20.00 – 22.00 Games&Hangout (HR)
Cool initiative from Zagreb hosts a board games evening – feel free to bring your own!
OKC Palach, Kružna 8
FRIDAY, October 11th
14.00 – 15.00 Talk and Q&A “You Lied to Me About God: Unpacking the Shame-Filled Messages of Spiritual Abuse and Religious Trauma“, Jamie Marich (US)
With Dr Jamie, author, educator and trauma therapist, we talk about experiences of spiritual and religious trauma. The event is hybrid: for online participation please register at: .
OKC Palach, Kružna 8 & Zoom platform
15.00 – 16.00 Talk: Hate Speech and Hate Crime – To Whom and How to Report?, Antonia Pindulić (HR)
What if it happens to you or somebody close to you? In this talk with a human rights expert, we will learn, using examples, how to recognise and report hate crimes and hate speech crimes and empower ourselves to build a safer community.
OKC Palach, Kružna 8
15.00 – 16.00 Talk: Lesbian* money talks! by EL*C
EuroCentralAsian Lesbian* Community experts on funding the needs of LBTIQ movement & necessary changes in the future.
*For using the term lesbian check out: https://lesbiangenius.org/.
OKC Palach, Kružna 8
16.00 – 18.00 Workshop: Liberate Your Queer Self!, Robert Kocur aka Polka Dot (PL/UK)
Let's discover our authentic selves through drag art! We'll learn powerful lip-syncs and how to express our queerness. Before attending, choose one empowering ballad to work on.
OKC Palach, Kružna 8
16.00 – 18.00 / Workshop: Embracing solidarity through diversity, Aldessa Georgiana Lincan (BE/RO)
Co-founder of Romnja Feminist Library, dedicated to promoting Romani women's knowledge production across Europe, gently guides us through Romani history, culture and feminism, with reference to intersectionality and its impact on feminist movements.
OKC Palach, Kružna 8
18.30 – 19.00 Performance: Hair, Stones and Voices, Shahrzad Nazarpour (AT, IR)
Young Iranian-Austrian artist explores revolutionary forms of existence, addressing issues of resistance and freedom, with a focus on the emancipation of FLINTA* persons in Iran and Afghanistan. *female, lesbian, intersex, non-binary, trans and agender
O.K. Gallery, Krešimirova 26
19.00 – 20.00 Exhibition Opening: COME (HR)
Various objects and artworks symbolise important milestones in the endless process of coming out.
Authors Jan Franjul and Mario Buletić show quotes, physical objects, photos and videos and encourage the audience to share their own story or donate an object that represents it. The exhibition is open until October 15th.
O.K. Gallery, Krešimirova 26
20.30 – 21.00 Film: Common as Red Hair (US)
The award-winning short film is a moving story on medical interventions performed on intersex infants.
Art-kino Croatia, Krešimirova 2
21.00 – 22.00 Panel: About intersexuality (US&RS)
Executive producer Kimberly Zieselman talks with intersex activists Erin Vlahović (Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice) and Kristian Ranđelović (XY Spectrum).
Art-kino Croatia, Krešimirova 2
SATURDAY, October 12th
13.00 – 15.00 Workshop: Say it loud&clear!, Antonia Pindulić (HR)
With the far-right on the rise in Europe, it’s more important than ever to protect our rights, freedoms, and communities. Learn how to better communicate your values, create powerful stories to reach decision-makers, as well as that one uncle at the family lunch.
OKC Palach, Kružna 8
14.00 – 17.00 Queer Treasure Hunt, Alex Katunar (BE/HR)
Through riddles, challenges, and teamwork, we discover where LGBTIQ+ persons used to gather in the past and where Rijeka's queer culture is enriched these days.
OKC Palach, Kružna 8
15.00 – 17.00 Talk: The journey to (rainbow) parenthood2
What are the possibilities for and obstacles to LBTQ parenting? Are there supportive practices that contribute to the well-being of our rainbow families? We discuss these topics with people from various professional and personal backgrounds.
OKC Palach, Kružna 8
17.00 – 18.30 Celebrating Queer Joy with Alex (BE/HR)
What fulfils us, drives us, inspires us, and gives us hope – especially in times that require great efforts just to survive? Join us for a relaxed conversation moderated by Alex Katunar.
OKC Palach, Kružna 8
23.00 – 4.00 Queer-UP! Party: Smoqua Friends & DJ Aldessa (BE/RO)
The evening begins with Smoqua friends, a colourful ensemble that will tickle all our senses, and DJ Aldessa will guide us through the night with her skilful blend of pop and Balkan music. Her set creates space for unheard voices while challenging norms and promoting intersectionality on the dance floor.
Pogon kulture, Strossmayerova 1
00.00 – 1.00 Drag Show: Polka Dot (UK/PL)
“My drag’s political, funny and messy.” The founder of the only Polish drag troupe in the UK, SLAV 4 U, will ignite the atmosphere and leave us breathless (and speechless).
*All festival events are free, while for the Queer-UP! Party donations can be given at the entrance.
Organiser:: Lesbian Organisation Rijeka – LORI
The festival is supported by: City of Rijeka / Austrian Cultural Forum Zagreb / Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice / Adria print / Youth Cultural Centre Palach
The content of these activities is responsibility of Lesbian Organisation Rijeka - LORI and does not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the donors.
