Felix Crainicu: Passion for Life and Culture through the European Art Workshop

Felix Crainicu, director, writer, and founder of the European Art Workshop, on his passion for life, culture, and Erasmus projects with social impact.

Felix Crainicu is a director, writer, and veteran of social dance. He dedicates a good part of his time to cultural projects, with those from the Erasmus family being the most representative.

C&B: How would you describe yourself in a single sentence, in a way that would spark curiosity in those who don’t know you yet?
Felix Crainicu: My passion is life. Is one sentence enough? It says exactly what it should about me and also stirs curiosity. At least I think so.

C&B: If we were to look at the narrative thread of your career or business, what were the key moments that defined you?
Felix Crainicu: The word “career” doesn’t really represent me. I never set out to build a career in the classic sense of the word. Rather, I just did what I enjoy. Always. And I was lucky enough to get paid for it, which, from my point of view, is truly spectacular.

C&B: What were the main challenges in establishing a cultural organization in Romania?
Felix Crainicu: Bureaucracy, I’d say. Although now it’s much simpler than twenty years ago. I don’t think it was very complicated, in a way, especially since everything happened organically. I had the team, I had the knowledge and experience, I had many potential collaborators in mind. On top of that, if you add a bit of luck (or synchronicity, if you prefer), everything has gone quite smoothly from the beginning until now.

C&B: Is there a dream or ambition that has always guided you, regardless of obstacles?
Felix Crainicu: I mentioned it earlier: to do what I love. To get involved in activities that bring me joy and inspire me. I like to exist here and now, so everything I do revolves around this concept (hic et nunc). I don’t have anything to prove to anyone, I’m not in competition with anyone. Plus, I don’t really believe in the idea of obstacles. There are situations, and there’s my ability to respond to them in one way or another. It’s not about obstacles, but about moments (or people) that help me grow, to become better.

C&B: What did things look like at the beginning of your journey, and how do you feel you have transformed since then?
Felix Crainicu: If we’re talking about the beginning of the European Art Workshop Cultural Association, it started during the pandemic. The artistic activities I was involved in (theater and social dance) were blocked. I felt the need to do something good, something that mattered. I made two phone calls, and that’s how the association was born. And now, just a few years later, it has gathered more than ten Erasmus projects, hundreds of workshops with seniors and children in Bucharest (we have a wonderful partner in DGASPC Sector 6), several documentary films, and much more.

C&B: If we were to meet your team or collaborators, what do you think they would say about you?
Felix Crainicu: I have no idea, that’s something they should answer. I hope they would say I’m someone passionate about life.

C&B: What is the most important decision you’ve made that changed your trajectory?
Felix Crainicu: To always be here and now. To never wait for anything. To create my own luck, not hope it will come from somewhere, someday. To find that thing that makes me burn and to burn for it.

C&B: What is the mission of the European Art Workshop and what values does it promote through its projects?
Felix Crainicu: The European Art Workshop Cultural Association represents a force for change in the community, dedicated to promoting art as a tool for social inclusion and personal development. Our activities take place in foster homes, social apartments, and high schools, where we implement cultural projects that address the real needs of young people.

We focus on two main artistic directions: film production and dance – areas that reflect the passion and experience of our members.

Our Values

Art – We use artistic expression as a universal language

Inclusion – We build bridges between young people from different backgrounds

Equality – We promote equal rights and opportunities for all

Friendship – We cultivate authentic relationships and fruitful collaborations

Perseverance – We embrace and value diversity

C&B: What do you think differentiates your business or professional approach from the rest of the industry?
Felix Crainicu: I don’t know how to answer that. I think it’s the kind of thing others should say about you. We just do what we know best, as well as we can, and we deliver on time. Every time.

C&B: What does a typical day look like for you now, and which moments bring you the greatest satisfaction?
Felix Crainicu: Some days I have time to swim and read for hours. Other days, I don’t even have time to eat sitting at a table. Between these two extremes, anything is possible. What makes me happy is knowing that, by the end of the day, I’ve lived those hours to the fullest, no matter how the day went.

C&B: Is there a story or project that has shown you the real impact of the association on people?
Felix Crainicu: Each of them has. They all mattered in their area of action. I’ll mention the newest project – We Frame The Change. For example, here we started from the idea that art is a bridge between our desire to take action and the target audience that can help us bring about beautiful change. This project started at the European Art Workshop, which reached out to trusted European partners. Together, we created this youth exchange (within a ten-month project), which teaches participants how to use art as a way to encourage active citizenship and generate proactive behavior in society.
More specifically, our project’s goal is to encourage active citizenship through visual storytelling.
Participants will gain a better understanding of the concept of active citizenship, the barriers to participation, and how to use storytelling through images to highlight and address community issues.
Participants will acquire: a) skills in using the photovoice method to document community issues, and b) storytelling techniques for effective communication and motivating action.
Through visual stories, participants will develop an active mindset for improving their community and motivating others to join them.

C&B: What advice would you give young people who want to build sustainable and impactful cultural initiatives?
Felix Crainicu: I don’t like giving advice. I never do. But I can say that if something is done out of passion, out of a real need to express something, to send a message, then it has real chances of turning out well. On a personal level, I also think it would make a big difference to engage with real, tangible, and breathable art, rather than focusing exclusively on the digital universe.

Felix Crainicu is living proof that passion for life, culture, and art can build real bridges between people and communities.