We are ready for the 5th Smoqua, are you?!
With our hearts full, we are announcing the 5th edition of Smoqua, the festival which will win you over with its diverse content, inspiring people and warm atmosphere. LORI, with partners PaRiter and GSG, invites all persons of good will, and open mind and heart to join us in the new edition of joint reflection, conversation, socialising and fun from Thursday, 7 October, to Saturday, 9 October 2021 in Rijeka.
ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
The 5th Smoqua, Festival of Queer and Feminist Culture (7 – 9 October 2021) brings together activists and artists from all over Europe: UK, Greece, Serbia, France, Poland, etc.
The overarching theme of this edition of Smoqua – Uncharted territories – focuses on the question of the body as a starting point for thinking about the boundaries of the physical, material and mediated within patriarchal structures.
Let’s dive together into queer and feminist culture through performances, an exhibition, discussions, workshops, lectures, a theatre play, Queer-UP! Party and other various activities. Smoqua provides safe space for every one of us who is different, who doesn't fit into gender and sex norms and boxes, who is eager for open conversations, discussions and gaining new knowledge.
PROGRAMME
THURSDAY, 7 October 2021
12.00 – 21.00 Hanging out at the Meeting Point
At the gathering place visitors can get information about the programme, hang out with other participants and, if they want, donate money in exchange for promotional items.
In front of the Delta 5 building (in case of rain, inside the building in DeltaLab)
15.00 – 17.00 Workshop: Self-Sustainable Funding for Feminist Realities, Evdokia Romanova (RU)
The workshop aims to bring awareness of self-sustainable funding to feminist organisations, highlighting successful fundraising practices. With Evdokia, advisor of the Frida – Young Feminist Fund, explore opportunities to become independent from donors and grants.
DeltaLab, Delta 5 (2nd floor)
17.00 – 18.00 Games Without Borders, LORI Youth Group (HR)
Through interactive games, visitors can get acquainted with and sensitised about human rights and the everyday life of LGBTIQ+ persons.
In front of the Delta 5 building (in case of rain, inside the building in DeltaLab)
18.30 – 19.00 Festival opening
Opening of the 5th Smoqua with a couple of words from the organisers followed by mingling.
In front of the Delta 5 building (in case of rain, inside the building in DeltaLab)
19.00 – 21.00 Exhibition opening: Deviant Women, Fenia Kotsopoulou (UK/GR) and Aylwyn Walsh (UK)
Award-winning cross-disciplinary artist Fenia and scholar/artist/activist working on participation, cultures of collaboration and co-creation, Aylwyn, present Deviant Women, which explores judgements made on and about women’s bodies when they are seen as deviant or unruly. They stage photographic, film and installation interventions to explore the abject female body, hair and ambiguity. The exhibition is open until 21 October. More info
DeltaLab, Delta 5
FRIDAY, 8 OCTOBER 2021
13.00 – 14.00 Exhibition opening: Don’t assume, Vanja Brajković (HR)
Vanja Brajković, Originative in the Closet, presents a self-portrait story, an introspection of state and mind around transgender and non-binary identity. Body, as a means of expression, a sign of affiliation and identification, is used to express the uncertainty of an assumption about the person who is seen or known, when we choose to be deaf and blind just to conform to a given normativity.
Book Caffe Dnevni Boravak, Ciottina Street 12a
14.00 – 16.00 Workshop: Discover yourself through yoga, Evdokia Romanova (RU)
We learn to love and take care of ourselves, finding a hub for reflection, peace, and relaxation within our bodies. All bodies, identities, and levels of experience are welcomed! Please, wear comfortable clothes, and bring your water bottle and a mat. Send an e-mail to
OKC Palach, Kružna 8
14.00 – 16.00 Transgressive Vulvas and the Curated Self: Virtual and Real Media-Bodies, Meredith Jones (UK/AU)
A transdisciplinary scholar working at the intersections of feminist theories of the body, media and gender studies and an expert on the socio-cultural aspects of the Kardashians, Meredith Jones, in this lecture, covers the blurring of the line between the virtual and the real in the representation of the body.
Online – Zoom link
16.00 – 18.00 Panel discussion: Women and the Media – claiming the space, Danka Derifaj, Željko Blaće, Lorena Herceg (HR)
Discussion on the underrepresentation of women and the problem of sexism in media, as well as on the editorial policy of the Croatian-language Wikipedia, which perpetuates gender disparities and marginalises topics related to gender and sexuality.
OKC Palach, Kružna 8
18.00 – 19.00 Workshop: Drag Transformation, Le Filip (FR/HR)
Do you want to know how to be a drag queen or just try drag for the first time? Join us with Le Filip in bringing out your inner drag character and explore more layers of YOU. Let's release our bodies and minds together! Please bring your own makeup, clothes and hairbrushes.
OKC Palach, Kružna 8
19.00 – 20.00 Lecture/performance and booklet with a translation of a book chapter: Playing Monogamy, Simon(e) van Saarloos (NL)
In Het monogame drama (English: Playing Monogamy), Van Saarloos critiques monogamous living and false notions of safety, proposing a non-monogamous love life and a different take on ownership and property. The work will be presented in two parts, a lecture/performance and a distribution of a booklet with a translated chapter titled Antifragile: things that gain from disorder, designed by Ana Labudović. More info
Križanićeva 6a
SATURDAY, 9 OCTOBER 2021
12.00 – 15.00 Wikipedia workshop, Željko Blaće and Lorena Herceg (HR)
If you wish to learn about Wikimedia and how to edit articles on Wikipedia, join us at this workshop. A local Wikipedia group will be formed too. Send an e-mail to .
OKC Palach, Kružna 8
16.00 – 18.00 Workshop: Activist Embroidery, Karolina Wieckiewicz (PL)
Embroidery is art, and art is political. Join us in the exchange of experience and let's learn how to do embroidery together. Recommendation: bring a T-shirt or a piece of fabric on which you want to have your embroidery. Equipment needed will be provided at the workshop.
OKC Palach, Kružna 8
18.00 – 19.00 Quiz: Sex Toys, LELO (HR/SE)
You are interested in intimate accessories, but you do not know who to ask or where to find information? Come to the quiz about sexuality and sex toys, and learn everything with experts from LELO, the world's leading brand of luxury intimate products. Winners of the quiz will also receive prizes.
OKC Palach, Kružna 8
Vogue dance and ballroom culture originates in the African-American and Latin American LGBTIQ + community in New York. The dance group Strike a Pose! competes at vogue balls around Europe in several dance and runway categories, and will 'hit' the party with various styles: old way, new way and vogue femme.
OKC Palach, Kružna 8
20.00 –00.00 Queer-UP! Party, Dark Angel aka DTSS (RS)
Senada Sevlić aka Dead Trash Super Star has a passion for vivid disco lifestyle and Berlin electro punk trash music, and she will warm us up to the rhythms of electro trash and disco. Dark Angel, her alter ego, is fond of deeper, minimal sound.
OKC Palach, Kružna 8
22.00 – 22.45 Drag Queen show, Le Filip (FR/HR)
In this amorphous satire on the patriarchal worldview, Le Filip will seduce us with witty and sensual performance. She is your parents' orgasm you overheard at night, warm and awkward. Le Filip does not explain, she conquers.
OKC Palach, Kružna 8
*Admission to all festival activities is free, except to the Queer-UP! Party, where donations can be given at the entrance.
Organisers: LORI + PaRiter, GSG
The festival is supported by:
