The Story of Us 

In the city of Mostar, where the Old Bridge stands as a monument and a symbol of co-existence between different perspectives, we strive in solidarity to create a space where artists can express and heal society, opening the doors to new positive stories. 

How did everything start?

Young activists, artists and cultural workers started their efforts back in 2012 to regenerate the city of Mostar with a new urban and cultural context. We were inspired by the need for regeneration and new community collaborations. Our desire to influence through street art moved us to build a culture of joint action with many local, regional and worldwide artists and enthusiasts.  Public spaces and streets became a base of art, collaboration, and friendships where unusual art actions and programs bring liveliness to the city and enhance its cultural life.  We contribute to the creation of a unique cultural platform and network between different people, cultures, and generations. 

Festival First steps and growth

After the realization of the first festival in 2012. we couldn’t stop! We discovered many personal and social potential through our urban and cultural movement. Many artists started to contact us in an effort to help us grow. They contributed to our idea of becoming a multicultural platform that connects, affirms and builds a strong street art scene. Since 2012, Street Arts Festival Mostar has managed to build a strong network, wide community and powerful scene, as well as credibility and reputation in the worldwide urban art scene. In our decade-long activity, we’ve hosted some of the most talented and recognized world-class street artists.

Some of the artists who helped us in the first decade of our work between 2012 and 2017 were:  Ema Jons, Collettivo Fx, Bibbito, Ale Senso, Luca Ledda, Bifido, Nemo’s, Josip Zelenika, Maja Rubinić, Zakky, Maid Mide Redžić, Sunita Fišić and many more.

How we kept growing

From 2017 to 2021, we managed to build a visible and strong cultural network. Our Street Arts Festival Mostar Platform became recognizable as a space of artistic freedom, solidarity and cultural progress. It wasn’t easy to keep continuity of work because of many problems and a lack of people who would work for our vision and mission. Many team members left the country.

Founder of the festival, Marina Mimoza, 2020 gathered a group of young people who passionately continue to keep festival ideas growing. Our team became stronger and bigger and ready for new challenges and general progress. We revitalized many abandoned city spaces, ruins and buildings into art, giving a different solution to the healing process of the community by fresh perspectives. 

Some of the artists who helped us grow from 2017-2021: Colectivo Licuado, Martin Frljić, Mane Mei, Ljubomir Todorović, Nataša Konjević, Jana Danilović, Kori Nikola, Artez, Wuper, STF Crew, Rikardo Druškić, Benjamin Čengić, Zesar Bahamonte, Aleksandro Reis, TKV, Johannes Mundinger and many more. 

Progress and new beginnings

For many years we worked as an initiative through help and collaboration with different city associations. Motivated and supported by Foundation Kvinna till Kvinna 2021,  we registered the Rezon Association which became the official Street Arts Festival Mostar platform recreating social dynamics through art, culture, education, diversity, and inclusion.

The name of the Festival was changed to SAFMO which is just the starting letters of Street Arts Festival Mostar. With a new name and a new logo, we started to work more professionally on our festival production and developed many different cultural and educational concepts for all generations. Since 2021, we are creating festival productions with more amazing artists who are affirmed and recognized in the world urban art scene.

Some of the new artists we hosted were: NeSpoon, Millo,  Mark Jenkins, Erik Burke, Alex Senna, Medianeras Murales, Roberto Rivadeneira, Taquen, Pelucas, Lunar, Poster, Endo, Chenipe.. and many more. 

WE ARE THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC SPACES!

SAFMO is running its vision and mission of social and cultural regeneration, positive impact through all activities and projects, gathered as an artistic movement and it connects all of the people and places in the region and worldwide for 12 years so far. 

We hope that our efforts will preserve our values for the generations that come after us and transfer our pledges into motivation for a better city of this society and a better society of this city.

If you’d like to give us a hand please contact us, we’d love to hear from you!