Festival was established upon the initiative of Jurislav Korenić, and it belongs into the category of the oldest festivals in East and Southeast Europe. Conceptualized as a festival of Yugoslav theaters, MESS was held every year in Sarajevo. A specific feature of the Festival, were the visits of world famous experimental theater performers of the time. The Living Theater from New York was one of the many to take part at the Festival of Small and Experimental Stages of Yugoslavia in the sixties.