This May, writer and artist Dhurata Hoti from Kosovo* is spending a month in Belgrade as the 143rd participant in KROKODIL’s writer-in-residence program. Her stay is part of the Literature Actually project, supported by the British Council.

Dhurata’s residency is not just a chance to focus on her writing — it’s also an opportunity to connect with the local literary community and audiences. On May 20th at 5 p.m., a networking event will be held at the KROKODIL Center (Male stepenice 1a), where young authors from Belgrade will have the chance to meet with Dhurata, share ideas, and discuss future collaborations. Right after that, at 6 p.m., a public event will take place, where Dhurata will present her work and creative practice to a wider audience.

Dhurata Hoti lives and works in Prishtina. She studied dramaturgy at the Faculty of Arts and writes across several forms, including plays, film scripts, short stories, and cultural journalism. Her work explores complex and intimate themes such as identity, sexuality, trauma, memory, and emotional instability. Blending magical realism, surrealism, and psychological drama, she often writes about women navigating inner and outer challenges.

Her play Sodom Sadomazo won Best Play at the national Katarina Josipi competition and was staged at the National Theatre of Kosovo. Her film script War, Games, and Videotapes was selected for production by the Kosovo Cinematography Center. She is also the author of two short story collections — Mjegulla (2021) and Eliza dhe tregime të tjera (2023) — in which everyday life transforms into strange, dreamlike worlds shaped by trauma, myth, and memory.

Dhurata has taken part in several international residency programs and collaborated with theatres, NGOs, and collectives across the region on projects dealing with gender, memory, and social justice. She is currently working on her third book of short stories.

The Literature Actually project is part of the wider Culture and Creativity for the Western Balkans (CC4WBs) initiative, funded by the European Union and supported by the British Council. It aims to strengthen the cultural and creative sectors in the region by supporting cooperation, professional exchange, and visibility of literary creators. Designed by Association KROKODIL and Instituti i Librit dhe i Promocionit (ILP), the project includes residencies, knowledge sharing, and joint festival programming across Belgrade and Tirana.