Nova Iskra Creative Hub

Nova Iskra Creative Hub is committed to fostering connections between creative industries, technology, and individuals, and we see Craftwork4.0All as a natural extension of this mission. By joining the platform, we aim to support new and emerging craft artists, helping them collaborate, develop their skills, and share their work both nationally and internationally.

We can contribute by providing our experience in organizing interdisciplinary programs, residencies, and educational initiatives that link craft, design, and contemporary cultural practices. Our team is skilled in mentorship, capacity building, and cross-sector collaboration, and we can facilitate exchanges, workshops, and networking opportunities that empower makers to expand their reach and impact.

Nova Iskra’s perspective emphasizes collaboration and cultural innovation, and we can help amplify the voices of emerging craft practitioners by integrating them into our broader network of artists, creatives, and industry professionals.

Nova Iskra Creative Hub fosters interdisciplinary connections between artists, creatives, and the broader craft and cultural sectors. Through residencies, workshops, educational programs, and collaborative projects, we support the development of skills, experimentation, and innovation in artistic and craft practices. By providing spaces, mentorship, and networking opportunities, we help practitioners share their work, engage with audiences, and explore sustainable creative models.

Other activities include research on craftsmanship and materials, mapping craft practices, multimedia documentation of craft practitioners, craft data base building

Nova Iskra has initiated Folkk, a Belgrade based social business with the idea to connect masters of crafts with young designers in the Balkans, using 100% of local materials, and providing fair compensation to everyone involved in production. The mission of Folkk was to preserve the traditions and skills of craftsmen from different regions of the Balkans, as well as to provide local products with global visibility through online platform. Launched in 2016, Folkk brand has emerged as one of the first social enterprises of this type in the region, with the aim to empower and support small producers and craftsmen.
Also, in 2018 became member of consortium that created MADE IN Project, a trailblazer project in terms of mapping Serbian and regional craftspeople and promoting knowledge sharing between them and designers. The project’s outcomes brought up pertinent issues regarding the development of design and craft as well as the problems that these two disciplines are currently confronting. In 2023 an extended consortium initiated MADE IN 2.0 Project, which aims to document and conserve traditional craft skills, encourage knowledge sharing and learning among the target audience, support circular production models, and actively promote local production values while highlighting technological advancements and 21st-century challenges.

Nova Iskra operates within a strong international ecosystem of creative hubs, cultural institutions, and craft-innovation laboratories. As a founding member of the European Creative Hubs Network (ECHN) and an active partner in CREAConnect, Nova Iskra is deeply embedded in European networks that strengthen collaboration across creative industries, cultural heritage, and design-driven innovation. In addition, Nova Iskra is a proud member of the MADE IN Platform for Contemporary Crafts & Design, a European network focused on connecting contemporary designers with traditional artisans, supporting knowledge transfer, and promoting innovative interpretations of craft heritage.
By activating collaborations with creative hubs, studios, craft workshops, and cultural organisations across Europe, Nova Iskra contributes to building a truly international community around CraftWork 4.0 All—one that supports sustainable craft practices, cross-border learning, and meaningful exchange between diverse creative practitioners.