STREET ARTISTS IN EUROPE - Fondazione Fitzcarraldo

Street Artists in Europe
Daska, Sisak; Pinklec, Čakovec; Inat, Pula; and from Zagreb Kugla glumište - today Damir
Bartol Indoš), while noninstitutional professional theatre groups and theatres represent another
wing (Theatre Exit, Mala scena, Kufer, Bad co, Montažstroj – Zagreb; Traffic, HKD teatar –
Rijeka etc.) International Festival of Students Theatres (Kazališta) IFSK in Zagreb in the 1960s
was precursor of festivals such as Eurokaz in Zagreb, MAK, SOS in Sisak, Male scene in
Rijeka, PUF in Pula, where both, Croatian and international fringe theatres, perform. Theatre
magazines Frakcija, Kazalište, Zarez, Vijenac very often presents Croatian fringe theatres. The
main event in the last 10 years for the Croatian fringe theatre is PUF Festival (Pula Art
/Umjetnički Festival) in Pula.
During wartime, when a large part of Croatia was occupied, while Dubrovnik and Sisak suffered
the direct war threats, the founders of the festival decided to locate this theatre manifestation in
Pula, which was spared from the direct war devastation. They represent Croatia on
incomparably more international festivals than any other Croatian theatre institution.
Czech Republic
In the 1990s the state monopoly on running theatres came to an end and most theatres were
transferred to the control of local councils (44 ensembles); private production management
began mainly in the sphere of musicals and dozens of theatre and dance companies were formed
as independent nongovernmental organizations. Czech theatre has a multifaceted theatrical
network in which, thanks to tradition, there is a predominance of classical repertoire theatres
with a permanent ensemble. There is also tradition of professional support for the puppet
theatre. Several festivals are held annually: International Festival Divadlo/Theatre in Pilsen, the
Festival of European Regions in Hradec Kralove, Four Days in Motion, Theatrum Kuks, the
International Frontier Theatre Festival in Cesky Tesin, Fringe Festival Prague. Amateur theatre
activity, which in the Czech lands has a fertile, multi-faceted and active tradition, is also
supported from public funds. The Czech law dictates that any legal resident or physically able
person may manage/operate a theatre company. The basic difference between public and private
theatre companies lies in access to public resources. Whereas State and municipal theatres have
this access guaranteed by law, the remaining private subjects do not. Since the first half of the
1990s the Ministry of Culture created a grant system designated to support civic associations
(non-profit organizations). This development made it possible for a varied range of unofficial
theatre activities, experimental work, festivals and workshops of smaller and newly founded
companies in a wide spectrum of genres and kinds to receive grants and other financial support.
Sources of funding in the Czech Republic other than public are extremely limited. During the
period of transformation important assistance has been provided by foreign foundations and
institutions. There is no large and wealthy private cultural foundation or clearly conceived donor
activity.
There are professional theatres with permanent companies in twenty-two cities and towns. In a
number of places there are professional theatres of various types (e.g. drama theatre and puppet
theatre). In the 1990s, with the liberalisation of the cultural environment, a number of smaller
companies and groups renovated some small spaces as studio theatres, theatre clubs and small
stages, but in small percentage. They frequently used non-theatrical spaces as first pioniers
(halls, amphitheatres, historical monuments, public spaces) for their projects. In this sense, the
Czech theatre really did experience a boom.
Undeveloped civic society constantly struggles with economic and social-cultural losses and
problems. Competent institutions are not solving the issue of the third sector which is crucial for
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