More than 40 artists and cultural professionals from across Europe will gather in Bastia, Corsica, from March 23rd to 29th to address some of the key issues of our time through workshops, panel discussions, and artistic presentations—from overtourism and gentrification to identity and the sustainability of island life.
The occasion is SpringLab 2026, an international discursive and educational program held as part of the European project Island Connect II.
Over the course of seven days, Bastia will become a focal point for encounter, exchange, and critical reflection on contemporary artistic practices, with a particular focus on the development of new artistic approaches and strengthening collaboration among artists working in specific island contexts.
This third edition continues the established practice of connecting culture and the arts with themes that directly shape everyday life on islands. In Corsica, issues such as housing, tourism, and belonging are not abstract—they are part of the lived reality of the local community. For this reason, the program opens up space to reflect on global phenomena through the lens of immediate, concrete examples.
Drawing from their own experiences, participating artists, partners, and collaborators will present their work and engage in the theoretical and practical development of tools for further advancing practices in the fields of cultural management and performing arts. In addition to artists from six partner countries, this year’s SpringLab will also include artists from Madeira, Gotland, and Martinique.
Five Croatian artists are participating in this year’s residencies and SpringLab. Ivana Slunjski (Thalassa Theatre) will take part in a two-week artistic residency in Corsica, followed by a residency in Croatia, focusing on expressing personal experiences of insularity through dance. Bruno Isaković (Malo sutra) will participate in a residency on the island of Vis, developing a dance performance in collaboration with Mia Zalukar and Ana Mrak.
As part of the Islander Focus residency, Anamarija Šerbetar will conduct artistic research in Corsica and Martinique, focusing on the impact of climate change on island biospheres. Natalija Borčić Peuc will connect her personal experience of growing up on the island of Vis with contemporary life in Tenerife and Ireland.
Petra Brnardić will take part in the Pilot Co-Creation residency, in which seven artists collaboratively develop a project. This year, the residency will be held in Tenerife under the guidance of the organization LAV-C.
Island Connect II is a residency-based artistic project that brings together seven European countries with the aim of strengthening mobility and professional development for artists working in island and peripheral contexts.
Through residencies and educational programs, the project connects artists and cultural workers interested in exploring island spaces and the concept of insularity, fostering artistic creation and the development of local communities.
The project is led by the Domino association (Croatia), with partners including BIRCA – Bækkelund International Residency Center for Artists (Bornholm, Denmark), Theatre Alibi (Corsica, France), Teatro Sardegna (Sardinia, Italy), Irish Aerial Circus Centre (Ireland), LAV-C – Laboratorio de Artes Vivas y Ciudadanía de Canarias (Tenerife, Spain), and C.IN.E. – Centre d’Investigació Escènica de Sineu (Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain).
More information is available at: https://islandconnect.eu
The SpringLab 2026 program is organized by Cie Theatre Alibi.
The program is co-funded by the European Union.
The work of the Domino association is supported by the Kultura Nova Foundation and the National Foundation for Civil Society Development.
