From 5 to 9 October 2026, the 29th Meeting of Professional Theatres for Children and Young People will take place in Čakovec, organised by the Croatian Centre of ASSITEJ. The programme includes performances for various age groups, from the youngest audiences to older primary school children.
The selected performances present a spectrum of contemporary classics, exploring the depths of children's imagination, fears, and inevitable losses. The selection is tailored to different age groups. For the youngest, the performances are almost wordless, with only occasional "tippy-toes" or "tip-pan" sounds. For older audiences, the selected plays probe the boundaries between truth and fiction, diving into the inner self and confronting us with ourselves. The selector for this year's Meeting is theatre critic Anđela Vidović, while the president of the Croatian Centre of ASSITEJ is Romano Bogdan.
Morning sessions are reserved for school and kindergarten visits, while tickets for afternoon performances can be purchased at the counter of the Centre or online via the official website. The programme begins on Monday, 5 October, at 10:00 with the performance Mice and Cats Upside Down by the Rijeka Puppet Theatre, accompanied by an audience on stage. The same day at 16:00, Try Again, Little Witch by Teatar Poco Loco and the Studio for Contemporary Dance follows, also with an audience on stage.
On Tuesday, 6 October, at 10:30, Mummy, Do You Have One Egg by the Split Puppet Theatre in collaboration with Teatar Poco Loco is scheduled, followed at 17:00 by The Day Nothing Happened by the Zadar Puppet Theatre. On Wednesday, 7 October, at 10:00, The Circus of Shadows by LOFT (the organisation we actually need) and the Dubrava Children's Theatre will be performed, while at 16:00, the play You Are Lying, Melita by the Dubrava Culture Centre/Dubrava Children's Theatre will be staged.
Thursday, 8 October, will see How Ante Lives by the Croatian National Theatre in Varaždin at 10:00, and The Balloon Over Cappadocia by the Branko Miholić Children's Theatre in Osijek at 17:00. On the final day, Friday, 9 October, at 10:00, The Star and the Night by the Mala Scene theatre will be performed. A showcase of The Wonderful Lady of the Stage by the Small Scene theatre will take place at 12:00, and at 16:00, Puf! by the Pinklec Theatre troupe will be staged, both with audience interaction on stage.
In addition to the programme, the exhibition 30 Years of the Croatian Centre of ASSITEJ will be on display from 8 to 21 October 2026, dedicated to three decades of work, artistic creation, and dedication to theatre for children and young people. The exhibition features archive photographs, posters, awards, and other items, curated by Mario Jakšić.
