The International Festival of Authorial Projects – IFAP – is a creative assembly of theatre artists from all over the world, which has been held in Mostar each year since 1975. As part of the Festival, some internationally eminent theatre experts hold workshops that are known as the Alternative Academy.

At first there were no awards presented to artists participating in the Festival. It has only been since 1996 (the first edition after the war) that so-called 'Mravac' awards have been given: each of these is of equal value, and is awarded for an authentic authorial moment, an idea, approach or solution in any element of the art of theatre.

Participants come from national theatres and alternative groups, professional companies and puppet theatres, amateur associations, etc. Anyone who can offer some new theatrical achievement or provoke original thought is welcome.

The 27th International Festival of Authorial Projects took place in Mostar in August 2006. It was the 21st edition of the Alternative Academy, with 14 workshops, 8 performances chosen by the Festival selection board, and one Festival project.

The Festival developed out of a retrospective of the Mostar Youth Theatre performances, held in October 1975. It was an attempt by a group of theatre 'dreamers' to capture the attention of society, place focus on creative processes and carry out theatre workshops. It grew by attracting like-minded people from all over the country, becoming an important meeting place for quality theatre.

War in the region put a stop to the Festival in 1992, but in 1996 the Festival was revived.

Besides the Festival, theatre education takes place through the Alternative Academy: one-week workshops run by important theatre experts from across the world. The workshops conclude with a public presentation of their results.