The **Platformat Independent Culture Festival** took place from 10 to 13 June 2026 at Dom mladih Split. Since 2013, the festival has been organised by the members of Platforma Doma mladih, an alliance of associations based at Dom mladih that work across contemporary culture, the arts, education and social engagement. The festival offers an annual overview of the activities of organisations, artists and collectives that contribute to the development of Split’s independent cultural scene throughout the year. It also serves as a platform for presenting their programmes to a wider audience.
Over the four days of the festival, Dom mladih becomes an open living room for the independent cultural scene — a meeting place for artists, cultural workers, civil society organisations and the public. The programme includes performances, workshops, exhibitions, concerts, lectures, discussions, participatory activities and many other events taking place throughout Dom mladih. Alongside local organisations and artists, Platformat regularly welcomes guests from across Croatia, fostering collaboration, knowledge exchange and the development of new artistic and social initiatives.
The festival also highlights the importance of Dom mladih as a key space for independent culture in Split, continually emphasising the value of the community, programmes and artistic practices that develop within it. Through its advocacy for participatory space management, the democratisation of culture and improved working conditions in the cultural sector, Platformat has become one of the most significant events on the city’s independent cultural scene.
Tiramola Dance Association participated in the Platformat 2026 festival with several programme activities focused on the development of dance as an art form, education and strengthening the capacity of the cultural sector. The programmes brought together dancers, artists, cultural professionals and members of the public, providing a space for the exchange of knowledge, experiences and artistic practices.
As part of the Little School of Contemporary Dance programme, Tiramola welcomed Škvadra, an independent arts organisation that presented the contemporary dance performance THE POGO DOLLS at Klub Kocka on 12 June.
Inspired by the energy of punk concerts, mosh pits and pogo dancing, the performance explores the relationship between the body, space and collective energy, blurring the boundaries between dance performance and the concert experience.
The performance offered the audience an intense and immersive encounter with contemporary dance in an alternative music venue, while raising questions about togetherness, belonging and collective experience.
The following day, the site-specific workshop Škvart-specific: Taming the Environment was led by the Škvadra collective. Through practical exercises and choreographic tools, participants explored the relationship between the body and space, examining their surroundings through architectural, visual, social and imaginary layers.
The workshop offered participants an opportunity to develop new perspectives on public space, using performance as a tool for exploration, learning and creative expression. The process incorporated movement, text, photography, music and elements of costume design, creating an interdisciplinary framework for exploring space and performance.
During the festival, Tiramola also organised a two-day **Contemporary Dance Workshop**, led by dancer, dance educator and choreographer Maria Prokhorova-Banićević. The workshop took place on 12 and 13 June at Razred, Dom mladih, and was open to all interested participants, regardless of their previous dance experience. Through contemporary dance-based movement sequences, improvisation exercises and partner work, participants explored how the body moves through space, shifts in focus, physical contact, trust and communication through movement. The workshop provided a safe and supportive environment for developing dance skills, creativity and individual artistic expression.
Alongside its dance programmes, Tiramola’s President, Nikolina Dolfić Tomić, in collaboration with Dora Komenda from Cirkus Kolektiv, organised an educational workshop titled **Tips & Tricks: How to Successfully Write Applications for Public Calls in the Cultural Sector**, dedicated to project proposal writing in the fields of culture and the arts. Held on 11 June, the workshop was intended for emerging artists, producers, representatives of civil society organisations and anyone interested in developing project ideas. Through a presentation, practical examples and hands-on activities, participants gained essential knowledge of how to interpret public calls, define project objectives and activities, prepare budgets and develop strong project applications. Special emphasis was placed on identifying the most common mistakes in the application process and developing practical skills that participants can apply in their future work.
Through its participation in Platformat 2026, Tiramola Dance Association further contributed to raising the profile of contemporary dance and supporting the development of Split’s independent cultural scene. The performance, educational and professional programmes advanced key objectives, including encouraging artistic creation, developing audiences, fostering international and cross-sector collaboration, and strengthening the capacities of artists and cultural professionals. The programmes attracted a diverse audience and reaffirmed the importance of Dom mladih as a space for connection, creativity and cultural participation.
FOTO: Matea Parat
