The project stems from the clearly identified needs of young, unestablished artists in the field of contemporary visual and intermedia art in Slovenia and Slovakia. We are trying to provide young people with opportunities for long-term, in-depth and international cooperation that would go beyond short workshops or mere exhibition formats. We are setting up the project as an art colony and exchange, designed as part of the Reciklart Art Colony in early August in Slovenia and continuing in Košice in the second half of 2026 or early 2027. With this, we react to the needs at several levels: we offer a safe, supportive and intensive creative space where 16 young people (or 10 young people with fewer opportunities) from two countries, accompanied by mentors from the field of fine arts and youth work, can equally participate in the process of shared learning, experimentation and production. The colony will last at least five working days and thus allow enough time for the development of ideas, reflection and cooperation, which is key for quality artistic and personal growth. With the project, we aim to educate young people on the topics of sustainability, recycling, physicality and responsible existence, and thus also address the broader social issues of the environmental crisis and consumer culture, as well as offer young people the necessary tools to connect artistic practice with social responsibility, critical thinking and active citizenship. Through the cooperation between Matafir Association in Slovenia and the Faculty of Arts of the Technical University of Košice in Slovakia, we will enable international connections between young artists from the Central European region and thus the exchange of different pedagogical approaches, aesthetics and cultural contexts. We also want to support and spread democratic values, which have been increasingly under threat recently. Participants will have the opportunity to develop intercultural competencies, communication skills and the ability to work in diverse groups, thereby paving the way for their professional development, while at the same time learning about working in both institutional and non-governmental frameworks. The objectives of the project are: – to enable young people, especially those with fewer opportunities, access to quality international artistic exchange; – to encourage the development of creative, social and personal competences through practical work, mentoring and living together; – to strengthen the environmental and social awareness of young people and connect art with issues of sustainability and community; – to create lasting connections between young artists and partner organisations that can lead to further collaborations; – to contribute to the visibility of young artists through public presentations, exhibitions and the festival programme; – to develop competences for acting and creating in an international environment and in a collective. The project aims to ensure the intersection of art, learning, empowerment and community building. By combining an art colony, a festival and an international exchange, we aim to respond to the real needs of young people and contribute to a more inclusive, sustainable and connected European cultural space.