7 lessons in 7 years of The Animation Incubator

Why does every festival need a teenagers’ section?

The Animation Incubator Community is Animest’s programme for teenagers from Romania, Moldova and as of 2026, Bulgaria. Active throughout the year(s) as an online community, the Incubator creates safe, diverse and inclusive spaces for young people to explore animation and digital arts through non-formal education. 
Over the past seven years, the programme has grown into a full creative ecosystem combining educational workshops, research on inclusive creative practices, and the production, distribution and promotion of youth-created animation.
Join Kar, Programme Manager, and Paula Benu, Junior Programme Curator, for a look back at seven years of The Animation Incubator – from the ideas that shaped it, to the challenges, achievements and lessons learned along the way.
A talk for anyone interested in developing youth-focused projects or simply understanding what happens when you give teenagers the space to experiment, connect and create.