Theatre Institute

The Theatre Institute (1961) is a modern European institution under the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic and its mission is to provide Slovak and international public with complete information services regarding theatre.

The priority of the Theatre Institute is its scientific and researching activity consisting of research of Slovak drama covering the time from establishing the first permanent professional stage in 1920 until today. It also takes part in other research works, co-operates with its partner institutions in various research activities concerning theatre culture in Slovakia and abroad, it takes part in organising scientific symposiums, seminars, colloquia and other forms of presentation of their research activity.

It also monitors, examines and assesses Slovak dramatic production. Another of the priorities of the Theatre Institute is its documentation activity – a systematic collecting, editing, preserving and exhibition of its collections. The Institute’s function today is to provide services connected to its special status of the Public Specialized Archive (from 2002) and the Museum of the Theatre Institute (from 2006).

Another important function performed by the Theatre Institute is the information and promotion activity and systematic informing of the public about its own activities and other events taking part in Slovakia or abroad. It also provides information regarding Slovak theatre or theatre in other countries; it prepares various statistics on theatre and analyses of cultural policies.