Divadelná Nitra Left Without Funding: A Threat to One of Central Europe’s Most Significant Theatre Festivals

On 27 May 2026, the Slovak Arts Council decided not to support the grant application of the International Theatre Festival Divadelná Nitra for its 35th edition. This is the first time in the eleven-year history of the Council that the festival has received no funding from Slovakia’s principal public body supporting the arts.

Founded in 1992, Divadelná Nitra has established itself as one of the most important international theatre platforms in Central Europe. Over nearly 35 years, the festival has presented 636 performances by leading Slovak and international theatre companies, organised 1,965 accompanying events, and welcomed almost 400,000 visitors from Slovakia and abroad.

In its official statement, the festival team describes the decision not only as a threat to the future of a major cultural event, but also as a challenge to the principles of artistic freedom, independent cultural expression and international cultural exchange. The organisers place the decision within the broader context of ongoing pressures facing independent cultural organisations in Slovakia.

Despite the loss of its primary source of public funding, the Divadelná Nitra team has announced its determination to continue. The organisers are currently seeking alternative sources of support and preparing fundraising campaigns in an effort to preserve the festival as a space for free artistic expression, critical dialogue and international collaboration.

For us, the case of Divadelná Nitra extends far beyond the fate of a single festival. Having been part of the festival last year, we experienced first-hand its importance as a platform for exchange and dialogue. It raises important questions about the conditions under which independent cultural organisations operate today, and about the responsibility of public institutions to protect spaces for critical thinking, artistic experimentation and international exchange.

As cultural workers, we recognise the significance of festivals such as Divadelná Nitra not only as presenters of artistic work, but as platforms that connect communities, encourage dialogue and sustain long-term international collaborations. The loss of support for such initiatives affects not only local cultural ecosystems, but also the broader European cultural landscape.

We express our solidarity with the team of Divadelná Nitra and with all cultural organisations facing political, financial or institutional pressures. We hope that the festival will continue to exist and to serve as a space for artistic freedom, openness and public dialogue.

If you would like to support Divadelná Nitra and help secure the future of the festival, you can contribute to their fundraising campaign here.

By Ana Bateva