Members’ programmes

Puppetry began to be taught at the Theatre Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava in the 1989/1990 academic year. An independent Department of Puppetry was established shortly afterwards. It trains future artists in puppetry directing, dramaturgy, scenography and technology. Student productions are presented in Studio 1 of Divadlo LAB and on the theatre’s main stage. The department is a member of the Slovak Centre of UNIMA, with which it works closely.

Founded in 1957, Bratislava Puppet Theatre creates puppet productions for children and families. Its home is at Dunajská 36 in Bratislava.

Founded in 1950, Žilina Puppet Theatre was Slovakia’s first professional puppet theatre. Based at Kuzmányho 6 in Žilina, it presents diverse forms of puppetry.

Puppet Theatre at the Crossroads continues the work of the regional puppet theatre founded in 1960. Located at Skuteckého 14 in Banská Bystrica, it creates productions for children and adults.

Košice’s professional puppet theatre has been creating puppet productions for children and families since 1959. Depending on the programme, performances take place at Alžbetina 38 or Tajovského 4 in Košice.

Founded in 1995, BABADLO Puppet Theatre builds on the puppetry traditions of the Šariš region. Its home stage at Solivarská 80 in Prešov primarily welcomes children.

Divadlo pod balkónom is an independent theatre for children and adults, working with puppets, marionettes and interactive performances. Since November 2014, it has been based at Rudohorská 37 in Banská Bystrica.

Concordia is an independent puppet theatre in Banská Štiavnica, bringing professional artists together since 2015. Based at Jána Palárika 4, it creates puppet and intimate drama productions for children and adults.

Anima Act is a professional independent theatre founded by puppetry graduates of the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava. Its original productions for children and adults combine puppets, materials, music and visual art.

Animare Silva is a family marionette theatre run by the Pilát family. Touring with wooden puppets, it brings fairy tales to children and their parents.

The Slovak National Museum’s Museum of Puppetry Cultures and Toys is housed at Modrý Kameň Castle. Its permanent displays, exhibitions and events explore puppetry past and present and the world of children’s toys.