The History of Slovak Theatre – 16. Theatre Institutions
There are several domestic theatre institutions in Slovakia and international organizations are represented as well. Since the 1960s, the Bratislava-based Theatre Institute with its specialized departments has been the centre of research and documentation of theatre. The primary roles of the Theatre Institute include collecting and archiving materials about theatre in a specialized archive and in the collections of the Theatre Institute Museum, as well as theatrical research, which is performed in the Theatre Research Centre. It regularly organizes exhibitions and participates in international exhibition projects. As a printing house, it publishes original and translated works, plus the single professional monthly dedicated specifically to professional theatre – magazine kød – concretely about theatre. The Theatre Institute operates a laboratory theatre space Studio 12, which produces projects such as Baby Teeth (incubator for budding artists) and presentations of contemporary art. It organizes festival New Drama, which includes the competition Drama and Dramatically Young, establishes international cooperations, and facilitates presentations of Slovak theatre internationally.
The Institute for Theatre and Film Research of Slovak Academy of Sciences conducts mostly research and publishing activities, organizes conferences and presentations about theatre on a regular basis and publishes a theatre science journal Slovak Theatre. The National Centre of Culture and Further Education on the other hand is an umbrella organization for the activities of non-
professional theatres, particularly in cooperation with the regional structures, organizing competitive showcases that culminate in the Scenic Harvest festival in Martin. It also publishes magazine Stage, which together with Slovak Theatre are among the theatre periodicals with the longest continuity in Slovakia.
Many international theatre organizations are also represented in Slovakia – the Slovak Centre of AICT is a branch of the International Association of Theatre Critics (AICT/IATC). The centre organizes international exchange programs, underwrites the theatre reflection program
Theatre Monitoring, presents the AICT Lifetime Achievement Award for contribution in the area of theatre. In 2020, in cooperation with the Theatre Institute it organizes the AICT-IATC World Congress and International Conference. Slovakia is a member of the ITI – International Theatre Institute, International Puppetry Association UNIMA, International Association of Theatre for Children and Young People ASSITEJ, and the European Theatre Convention ETC. Many independent non-governmental organizations work in Slovakia as well, such as Contemporary Dance Association, Theatrical Nitra Association, PlaST – Slovak Contemporary Dance Platform, plus many others. Independent cultural centres are a part of the Antenna network. The key institution for the financial support of independent theatre and performance arts is the Art Support Fund, and partly also the Literary Fund. The copyright agenda for theatres is handled by the LITA organization.
This is an online version of exhibition theatre.sk.
