Vila 31 Open Studios from April 9 to 13

To celebrate its grand opening, Vila 31 is organising an Open Studios Week to showcase the newly renovated venue, highlight the first resident artists and offer a programme of cultural events open to all.

From 9 to 13 April, the programme will unfold around the works and projects of the artists in residence: Armando Duçellari (Albania), Arnilda Kyçyku (Albania), Amie Barouh (Japan), Genny Petrotta (Italy), Marianne Marić (France), Stanislava Pinchuk (Ukraine), Gerta Xhaferaj (Albania).

Their studios will be open to the public while performances, discussions, workshops, readings and film screenings will take place, making this inaugural week an ideal opportunity for the public to meet and interact with the artists present.

Vila 31 has also welcomed three artists for a month stay as part of the Mediterranean Crossed Residency Programme part of the Art Explora Festival, designed to facilitate artistic exchanges among artists, curators, and cultural actors across the Mediterranean region. Samir Laghouati-Rashwan (France), Zeineb Henchiri (Tunis), and Vartan Avakian (Lebanon) will be showing their works in progress during the open days of the Vila.

Open studios :

• Armando Duçellari (Albania)
• Arnilda Kyçyku (Albania)
• Amie Barouh (Japan)
• Genny Petrotta (Italy)
• Marianne Marić (France)
• Stanislava Pinchuk (Ukraine)
• Gerta Xhaferaj (Albania)

Day-by-day Programme :

Wednesday, April 9 :

• 5pm - 9pm: OPEN STUDIOS
• 5:30pm - 6:30pm: PERFORMANCE: Arapët e Polenës - Programme by Gerta Xhaferaj 
• 7pm - 8pm : CONCERT : Amari Alepha - Programme of Amie Barouh 
• 9pm - 10pm: CONCERT: Fanfara Tirana  
• 10pm - 12am : PARTY : Fauzia DJ Set
• April 9 to 30, 2pm to 6pm: Exhibition - Invictus: Lume Blloshmi, Kostandin Poga and publications by former political prisoners, curated by Adela Demetja

Thursday, April 10 :

• 2pm - 6pm: OPEN STUDIOS 
• 10am - 12pm: WORKSHOP: Cadavre Exquis 31 (for high schoolers) with Genny Petrotta and Ledia Dushi - Programme by Genny Petrotta
• 1pm - 4pm : CONCERT: Celebration of Roma culture by Amari Alepha and Romani Baxt - Programme of Amie Barouh 
• 4pm - 5pm: TALK: Asylum of the Silent Recall with Gerta Xhaferaj, Jonida Selaj and Eljan Stefa - Programme of Gerta Xhaferaj 
• 5pm - 6pm: SCREENING: Video Reading by Vartan Avakian (Your Skin Shall Bear Witness Against You)
• 18:00 - 19:30 : PROJECTION : Films d'Amie Barouh (Shuruuk and Bari Mageia)- Programme d'Amie Barouh ‍

Friday, April 11th

• 2pm - 6pm: OPEN STUDIOS 
• 11:00 - 13:00: WORKSHOP: Audience-Centered Approaches (by invitation only), moderated by Antonija Letinic (Kultura Nova Foundation)
• 12pm - 2pm : WORKSHOP : Wheel Pottery Basics: A journey into creative expression by SOMEETINGS

• 2pm - 9pm: CONCERT: Vinyl music performance curated by Tunèl x Kasheme   
• 2pm - 3pm : TALK: The Vila as an Archive in a Country Struggling with its Past with keynote speech from Elidor Mëhilli

• 3pm - 4pm: TALK: Panel on the architectural transformation of Vila 31 with Armando Duçellari, Thibault Marca, Lucie Niney, moderated by Saimir Kristo
• 4pm- 8pm : SCREENING : The Albanian Cinematheque presents

Here Be Dragons - Mark Cousins / Premiere: Parlatte A Bassa Voce - Esmeralda Calabria , followed by a discussion with producer Adele Budina and director Esmeralda Calabria

• 8pm - 9pm: PERFORMANCE: Mikky Blanco with Radical Sense  
• 9pm - 10pm: PERFORMANCE: Musical performance by Uj pa gaz

Saturday, April 12

• 2pm - 6pm: OPEN STUDIOS
• 10am - 12pm: WORKSHOP: Family programme, painting Tirana with Arnilda Kyçyku
• 12pm - 2pm: WORKSHOP: Move Ahead Without a Thread with ENSAPC students: Selma Hyka, Kenza Belkadi & Valentin Begarin
• 2pm - 8pm: CONCERT: Vinyl music performance curated by Tunèl x Kasheme   
• 2pm - 3pm : TALK : Bearing Witness: Navigating the Complex Landscape of Memory with Gentiana Sula, Anna Di Lellio, and Olsi Lelaj. Moderated by Elidor Mëhilli

•  3pm - 4pm: TALK: Stanislava Pinchuk in conversation with Jacob Mikanowski

•  4pm-6pm: SCREENINGS: Undercurrents - Ekrani i Artit presents :

The Dictator's Voice - Ardit Muhaxhiri / An Asian Ghost Story - Bo Wang / Il Mito Dell'Eroe - Gaia De Megni / Levitate - Iván Argote 

• 6pm-8pm: SCREENING: The Albanian Cinematheque presents :

Premiere: Generation of Images - Johannes Gierlinger, followed by a discussion with director Johannes Gierlinger 

• 8pm - 9pm: CONCERT: Mykki Blanco
• 9pm - 12am : PARTY : Ali Güney x Besa Mati

Sunday April 13th

• 2pm - 6pm: OPEN STUDIOS 
• 10am - 12pm : WORKSHOP : Family programme, Amari Alepha Magic and music with Amie Barouh and Bogdan Stoian
• 12pm - 2pm : PRESENTATION : Anti/Monumental Laboratory: Zine presentation with Stanislava Pinchuk, Pararoja and students from the University of Tirana and Barleti
• 2pm - 8pm: CONCERT Vinyl music performance curated by Tunèl x Kasheme 
• 2pm - 3pm: TALK: Curatorial Strategies and Artistic Interventions in Contested Spaces with Adela Demetja and Blerta Hoçia and Tihomir Topuzovski, moderated by Tea Çuni
• 3pm - 4pm : TALK : Presentation of the Arab Image Foundation: Materiality, Memory, and the Body of the Witness with Vartan Avakian

• 4pm- 8pm : SCREENINGS : The Albanian Cinematheque presents:

Spider's Envy - Genti Korini / Albanian Premiere: Silence Of Reason - Kumjana Novakova, followed by discussions with directors Genti Korini and Kumjana Novakova 

• 8pm - 9pm: PERFORMANCE: Radio healing session by Kasheme  
• 9pm - 10pm: CONCERT: Musical performance by Tirana - Tirona Allstars - Programme of Arnilda Kyçyku

Practical info :

Dates: April 9th to 13‍th

Location: Vila 31, Tirana, Albania

Co-Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.