Aleksandar Zograf is a Serbian cartoonist and one of the leading figures of the Balkan underground comics scene. His works have been translated and published in many European magazines, and his solo titles were translated, widely read and praised in France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Japan, Poland, the US, the UK, etc.

Barbara Margarethe Eggert is a comics scholar and researcher of museum studies from Austria. She initiated the academic comics symposium at NEXTCOMIC, Austria’s annual comics festival. She also works as a freelance curator and writes scenarios for webcomics and graphic narratives using her nom de plume, Eggy.

Barbora Müllerova is the curator of the LUSTR illustration festival in Prague. She teaches illustration at the Scholastika college in Prague, and she likes zines and wilderness, both in nature and in drawing.

Blaž Vurnik is a historian and curator for contemporary history and head of the museum department in the Museum and Galleries of Ljubljana, Slovenia. He also wrote several scripts for documentaries and graphic novels.

Boris Stanić is the author of several graphic novels and collections of comic books, which are characterized by strong graphic design, philosophical meanderings and observations. Among the most significant books are the biographical comics about his grandfather Radosav, The Assassination (a graphic novel about the Sarajevo assassination) and a collection of comics entitled Blatište (The Swamp). 

Canan Marasligil (she/her) is a feminist writer, editor, artist, literary translator and curator of cultural programmes, whose practice span from performing to making podcasts. As an intersectional feminist who strives to challenge dominant narratives, she advocates for representation, equality and diversity. Her work has appeared in various media.

David Schilter is founder and co-editor of Kuš! (speak koosh!), a comics art anthology founded 2007 in Riga. Kuš! doesn’t just publish comics on paper, but also organizes exhibitions, workshops, residencies, comics jams and other comics related events besides traveling to international festivals to spread the Latvian comics fever.

Eva Hilhorst has been working as a graphic journalist for several years. Currently she is the editor in chief of Drawing the Times (platform for graphic journalism) and a teacher at several Art academies in the Netherlands.

Guido van Hengel is a writer, historian and cultural coordinator. He received his PhD in cultural history from the University of Groningen. In 2018 he published a book on visionary and utopian thinkers during the First World War and the interwar period in Europe. This book, the Seers (in Dutch: Zieners), was translated into Serbian and Croatian in 2020, and published by Clio (Belgrade). In 2021 he published The Pack (in Dutch: Roedel), a collection of reportages about stray dogs and humans in former Yugoslavia.

Jelena Bobić is a pedagogue who participates in the creation and implementation of educational programs and creative workshops for children, family programs and programs for young people. As part of her internship at the Gallery of Matica Srpska, she is involved in developing cooperation between primary and secondary schools and museums through the Gallery as a Classroom program.

Karolina Spaić is a theater maker and artistic director of ZID Theatre, The Netherlands. After having studied classical ballet and literature and gaining much experience in theater and youth She directs, coaches, advises, teaches, and writes about theater, art and cultural developments in the Netherlands and internationally.

Roel Daenen is a heritage professional from Belgium and the editor-in-chief of the acclaimed literary magazine Stripgids, according to the Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant “the most beautiful comics magazine of Europe”.

Sebo Bakker has been involved with ZID Theater since 1992 and together with Karolina Spaic the driving force within the organization. As an actor, coach and trainer has participated in almost all of ZID’s performances. He also provides empowerment training and coaching and is involved in cultural events and festivals as a community host-presenter.

Mathijs Peters is a scholar working at Leiden University. He is interested in a wide range of fields, from political philosophy to film studies, and from aesthetics to Cultural Analysis. His latest book is about the cultural critique of the Welsh rock band Manic Street Preachers (2020).

Mileta Poštić is a draftsman dabbling in illustration, comics and animation. He was teaching animation at universities all over the world. He co-owns an animation studio called Twice-Eyes where he works as an illustrator, animator and art director.Mileta will present the comic he created for the exhibition of famous serbian painter Uroš Predić together with curators from Gallery of Matica Srpska.

Oskars Pavlovskis is a multidisciplinary graphic artist from Latvia. Co-founder and Art Director of Animation studio Jauda. Published comics in (a.o) Kus, Kutikuti, Comixiade, Ligatura.

Vladimir Palibrk, Curator, writer and artist. After graduating at Comparative studies of world literature department at Belgrade University, Vladimir focused mostly on storytelling through various forms, including words, graphic art forms, and event production/network management as ways to externalize his visions. With more than 10 years of experience of working as a mediator and author both in challenging non-formal international setting as well in more structured official platforms and organizations worldwide gave him valuable experience in the nature of creative and team processes. He is based in Paris, France, since 2015.

Yasco Horsman is university lecturer in Film and Literary Studies at Leiden University in the Netherlands, where he teaches courses on literature, cinema, comics and animation. He wrote essays on trauma, law, psychoanalysis, comics and animation in a.o. The Oxford Art Journal and The Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics.