Open Call: Novi Sad Theatre Festival 2026 — International Festival for Children & Youth
Deadline: November 15, 2025 • Festival: May 7–12, 2026 • Novi Sad, Serbia
British UNIMA are delighted to share news from our colleagues at Youth Theater, Novi Sad: applications are now open for the 5th Novi Sad Theatre Festival / Novosadske pozorišne igre, a competitive international festival dedicated to professional theatre for children and young audiences.
About the Festival
Dates & place: May 7–12, 2026, Novi Sad, Serbia
Organizer: Youth Theater (Pozorište mladih), Novi Sad
Focus: All forms of professional theatre for children and youth are welcome
Format: Competitive festival judged by an international expert jury
The festival was founded in 2022 to celebrate the 90th anniversary of Youth Theater and to mark the year that Novi Sad held the title of European Capital of Culture. Since then, it has grown into an annual celebration of artistry, creativity, and cultural exchange.
What the Festival Provides
Accommodation and meals for participating companies
Travel reimbursement up to €2,000 per company
Awards
Grand Prix (Best Performance)
Best Director
Acting Bravura
Animation Mastery
Three additional jury awards
Key Dates
Application deadline: November 15, 2025
Selection announced by: January 15, 2026
Festival: May 7–12, 2026
👉 Open call >>
👉 Application form >>
Applications must be submitted in English with completed forms and video links of performances sent to festival.npi@gmail.com.
If materials cannot be shared digitally, they may be posted to:
Youth Theater, Novi Sad (Novi Sad Theatre Festival)
Ignjata Pavlasa 4
21000 Novi Sad
Serbia
Looking Back: 2025 Award Highlights
Grand Prix: Macbeth Muet / Nemi Magbet — Theatre “La Fille Du Laitier,” Montréal, Québec, Canada
Best Director: Marie-Hélène Bélanger Dumas & Jon Lachlan Stewart — Macbeth Muet
Best Actor/Actress: Marie-Hélène Bélanger Dumas & Jon Lachlan Stewart — Macbeth Muet
Animation Mastery: Vera Rosanova — Don’t Wait for Me (La Neige sur les cils, Nantes, France)
Award for Visual Identity: Vera Rosanova — Don’t Wait for Me
Award for Text: Ivana Đula & Milica Sinkauz — The Adventures of the Little Juju (City Puppet Theatre Rijeka, Croatia)
Award for Collective Play: Ensemble of The Adventures of the Little Juju (City Puppet Theatre Rijeka, Croatia)
About Us: Youth Theater, Novi Sad
The Youth Theater, Novi Sad, is the proud founder and organizer of the Novi Sad Theatre Festival.
Founded in 1932 as the Puppet Theatre, originating from the Falcon Company’s puppetry section (est. 1930).
First housed in the “King Alexander I” Memorial Home (1936), designed by architect Đorđe Tabaković.
Rebuilt and revived after suffering heavy losses during World War II.
Renamed several times before adopting the current name Youth Theatre (Pozorište mladih) in 1968.
Since 1991, the company has staged performances on two stages: the Children’s Stage and the Drama Stage, across both the Great Hall and Small Hall.
Over 90 years of theatre-making, the Youth Theater has produced more than 300 titles, staged over 20,000 performances, and welcomed millions of spectators.
The Novi Sad Theatre Festival continues this legacy, bringing together professional companies from around the globe to celebrate and advance theatre for children and youth.
Contact
Novi Sad Theatre Festival
Ignjata Pavlasa 4, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
📞 +381 63 459 334 • +381 63 459 344
🌐 www.festivalnpi.co.rs
✉️ festival.npi@gmail.com
Festival Director: Sergej Tamaš
✨ Please share this call with your networks — we look forward to receiving your proposals and welcoming you to Novi Sad in 2026!