Croatian Queer Activist and his Fiancé Plan Big Gay Wedding for Art & Activism

Wedding bells are in the air for Zvonimir Dobrovic and Bruno Isakovic. The croatian couple met almost four years ago when Dobrovic, an art curator, was invited by a mutual friend to see a performance featuring Isakovic, a dancer.

"I think that's where the love started," Isakovic recalls.

"He was performing naked," Dobrovic added, laughing.

As the happy couple plans their wedding, they're going big, inviting friends and members of the art community to perform. With a script prepared by a former porn star from San Francisco, the ceremony will also feature an Indian opera singer/Bollywood star, drag queens and the oldest Croatian folk choir singing traditional folk songs with queer connotations.

Although the event will be a queer celebration for the ages, it's also an opportunity for the couple to give back. With 300 guests on the rooftop of the Museum of Contemporary Art, the wedding itself is a chance to bring visibility to LGBTQ Croatia. They're also inviting guests to donate to Fund 4 Others, in lieu of wedding gifts.

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The fund was created by the couple to foster solidarity and support artists and activists in Croatia. Although support comes from the state, they wanted to provide a diversification in sources for artists. Dobrovic compares United States' current social climate in the Trump era to what Croatia has gone through since their war in 1995.

"The art scene in Croatia is very engaged," Dobrovic explains. "That's what you see in the states as well now. They're not doing things in a bubble anymore but trying to be really engaging and have some sort of change, social change, artistic change, a change of thinking."

Since Croatia's first Pride in 2002, the couple says it has quickly become a more accepting place. Although they credit Croatia as a generally queer friendly destination, it's not without faults.

"There are still a lot of problems," Dobrovic says. "There's a whole wave of neo-conservatism like in Hungary, and they are going after gay rights and women's rights. But I think that's part of a wider political development in the world."

Dobrovic also organizes the Queer New York International Arts Festival, showcasing artists who challenge perceptions of what queer is. With their wedding a week away, learn more about Fund 4 Others and how you can contribute.