32nd INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF CHILDREN’S THEATRES

Subotica, Serbia: 21st – 26th September 2025

International Festival of Children’s Theatres Subotica is announcing an open call for participation in the competition programme of the 32nd Festival edition, which is going to be held 21st – 26th September 2025.

All professional puppet and children’s theatres, as well as all those professional theatres which have performances for children in their repertoire, are invited to send their applications to Festival Head Office address:

Open University Subotica
International Festival of Children’s Theatres Subotica
Trg cara Jovana Nenada 15
24000 Subotica
Serbia

or to: lutfestsubotica@gmail.com, by February 28th 2025 at the latest. Applications received beyond the stated deadline will not be considered.

* All types of theatre for children are represented at the festival, with selection priority being given to puppet theatre expression.

How to apply:

All those applying for official selection are under obligation, besides sending the completed application form (the form is available through the link at the bottom of this page), to send the following:

1. full length recording (DVD or link to the video);*
2. five horizontal photographs of the performance (13×18 cm, 300 dpi, quality 3/ i.e. about 1500 x 2100 pixels);
3. short summary of the performance in English (up to 900 characters);
4. cast and production team list (full names please);
5. short text about the theatre or a CV (up to 900 characters);
6. theatre logo.

* The video recording of the whole performance can be sent either by regular mail (as a DVD) to the Open University Subotica (i.e. Festival Head Office) address stated above or through the Internet (link** to the video). The rest of the material can be sent via e-mail to: lutfestsubotica@gmail.com.

** Note: In case when files are available for download for a limited period of time (eg. when sending files via WeTransfer or similar platform using a free service), there is a possibility that due to the large number of applications, the time needed for downloading and other circumstances we are not going to be able to download the file(s) before the expiry of the download deadline so it might be necessary to send the file(s) again.

Without the elements listed above the application will NOT be considered valid and complete.

These elements are necessary for the selection (a recording – when it is not possible to see the live performance) and for creating the catalogue of the Festival. Submitted material will be kept in Festival archives.

Selection process:

The basic criteria for the selection of performances is their artistic quality. The quality of the performances applied for the competition programme will be judged by selector of the Festival (Zoran Đerić, PhD).

Selection results will be published on the Festival website by May 15th 2024 at the latest.

About selection results theaters will be notified no later than April 15th 2025 at the latest.

Due to the large number of applications, individual notifications will be sent only to those theatres / participants whose performance will be selected in the narrowest selection, which will contain 20 performances.

Based on the narrowest selection, a decision will be made about the final selection of the competition programme.

Awards:

The following awards are given to productions selected for the competition programme:

1. Grand Prix of the Festival for the Best Performance
2. Best Direction
3. Best Stage Design
4. Best Original Music
5. Best Puppet Design
6. Acting Skills (5 equal prizes)

Awards are decided by a three-member international jury chosen from among world-renowned theatre artists and theoreticians.

Conditions of participation:

Costs of travel to and from Subotica are the responsibility of the participants, while the Festival organizer covers costs of local transport, provides accommodation (hotel, full board), free entrance to all the Festival events and technical support.

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If you have any further inquiries, please visit Festivals website: http://www.lutfestsubotica.net/en/main-programme or contact Festival Head Office on the e-mail: lutfestsubotica@gmail.com).

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Application form can be downloaded here: 2025 APPLICATION FORM