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.

The post Felix Crainicu: Passion for Life and Culture through the European Art Workshop appeared first on careers-business.com.

Onur Osman is one of the most prominent young designers of today, a self-made entrepreneur who built a successful brand from scratch and a source of inspiration for over 4 million young people around the world, making him one of the most followed Romanians on social media. Named The Greatest Romanian Designer at events such as the Romanian Fashion Awards, iSucces Gala, and the Excellence and Performance Gala from 2018 to the present, Onur Osman represents Romanian youth entrepreneurship on several continents.

C&B: Do you think the media talks too little about you?
Onur Osman: Just like many of the most relevant Romanian entrepreneurs in the beauty industry, I don’t get asked very often by journalists about my work—probably because four of the biggest names in the Romanian fashion industry have international-sounding names, and the public assumes we’re not “from here.” Still, I’m proud to say that I’m a relevant voice for over four million young people around the world, who appreciate my life and style advice, my cultural and musical snippets, and the moods I’ve created over the years. Most of my fans are international because my brand is more present outside the country, thanks to my involvement with major fashion houses and international cultural events.

C&B: What is more important: beauty or art?
Onur Osman: For me, beauty and art have always been important. Ever since I was a child, I knew I wanted to make the world more beautiful. I enjoyed working on interior design, I designed window displays for jewelry stores as a teenager, and I collaborated with top designers until I was twenty, when I launched my own fashion house.

There were two moments that defined my path—one more emotional, the other a recognition of my efforts. When I earned my first million euros at just 20 years old, it marked probably the most important step toward entering the major beauty industry. The second moment was more of a reward: when the Romanian Fashion Awards and the Excellence and Performance Gala contacted me to nominate me for Designer of the Year awards, starting in 2018.

C&B: Speaking of moments, what has been the most difficult one so far, and how did you overcome it?
Onur Osman: The most difficult moment hasn’t really existed—perhaps because I see any difficulty as a challenge meant to help me grow. Still, there are unpleasant moments now and then, especially when, as an echo of an older era in Romania, underqualified designers or those without real financial success are promoted to the new generations, keeping our country at a mediocre level in beauty culture. And I’m not thinking about myself, but about all the great Romanian designers with million-euro turnovers, who are present at many of the world’s most glamorous events, yet remain unrecognized or underpromoted in Romania’s mainstream media due to lingering post-communist mentalities among older generations of journalists.

C&B: Should art, culture, and beauty be promoted?
Onur Osman: I believe in beauty and culture, and I truly regret that Romania’s education system hasn’t yet risen to the European standard—we lack the classics, we lack the great European cultural content in our specialized universities. But I also believe this step will be taken by the new generations, who are increasingly connected to the larger fashion world. It has always been my ambition to promote art, culture, and beauty through all of my projects, and even through my everyday lifestyle. I live surrounded by art, I create art, I breathe art, and I will continue to contribute, through everything I am, to the culture of beauty for my generation and the ones to come.

C&B: How have your beliefs and ideals changed over time?
Onur Osman: Over the years, I haven’t changed my beliefs, ambition, or ideals. In many ways, I feel I’ve stayed the same. What has changed, however, is the community of people around me—a community whose support and admiration constantly motivate me to become better. It’s a joy, an honor, and also a great responsibility to know that millions of young people around the world look to me for inspiration on how to live their lives beautifully every day.

C&B: If we met your team or collaborators, what do you think they would say about you?
Onur Osman: My collaborators are often surprised to find that in real life I’m a warm, sociable person without any airs or ego—as many have honestly told me. And my employees would probably be the first to appreciate my humanity and the understanding I show toward them as individuals, not just as staff.

C&B: What is the most important decision you’ve made that changed your trajectory?
Onur Osman: The decision to expand internationally was the most impactful one in my business. By crossing Romania’s borders, I now constantly have the chance to work alongside the most important voices of our time.

C&B: Where do you think your leadership style comes from?
Onur Osman: Probably from growing up in an entrepreneurial family environment—some entrepreneurial skills have always surrounded me since I was young. Growing up among the newest brands and having access to items that others only saw in magazines gave me a different perspective on life, one that helped me learn directly from the best. So, my leadership style comes from the culture of luxury and beauty, refined by the art and haute couture professors in Paris and London who helped shape me during my teenage years.

C&B: What sets you apart?
Onur Osman: What makes the ONUR OSMAN brand different from most major fashion houses around the world is its culture of beauty and its historical sense of art—qualities that most legacy fashion houses are now desperately searching for, after so many avant-garde waves have damaged aesthetics and buried billion-dollar businesses.

C&B: What does a typical day look like for you now, and what moments bring you the most satisfaction?
Onur Osman: My days are incredibly varied, but I can proudly say that I’ve built a lifestyle with over 20 vacations a year—through which I gather inspiration for my creations and international work. By traveling extensively, I stay in constant contact with various cultures and entrepreneurs, always keeping up with the latest trends in both fashion and business.

C&B: What values or principles guide what you do, and how do you apply them day to day?
Onur Osman: I believe luxury is rooted in culture, respect, and professionalism. Everything about me is immaculate—from never going anywhere without my assistants, always traveling first class, to maintaining a cool, healthy, and fresh vibe no matter where you might meet me in the world. Integrity, morality, and kindness—and the belief that inner wealth matters more than outer wealth—are the values that have built the life I live today.

C&B: How was your brand born, and why?
Onur Osman: In my case, my brand is me—so ONUR OSMAN was the only option, and it turned out to be a successful one. For many years, I was the personal assistant of a world-renowned designer, gathering the skills needed to build my own empire.

C&B: If you were to send a message to the people who follow your example, what would it be?
Onur Osman: My message to everyone in my online community is always the same: build a beautiful world, live beautifully, and be yourselves. And for young entrepreneurs: don’t stay trapped in a national mindset—any great brand must always relate to the global industry in its field.

The post Onur Osman – The Voice of a Global Generation and the Architect of Romanian Aesthetic Culture appeared first on careers-business.com.