Brief history of SLUK
A Meeting of Puppeteers and Croatian Puppet Theatres – SLUK (Susret lutkara i lutkarskih kazališta Hrvatske) – is a theatre festival dedicated exclusively to Croatian puppetry art.
The first SLUK took place in Opatija in 1969. as a result of the festival stage in Šibenik, PIF (The International Puppet Theatre Festival), and ‘Autumn in Opatija – Puppets for Children and Adults.’ The organizational and artistic outlines of the future biennial festival were outlined in Osijek in 1977, when SLUK found its place under the sun in the organization of the Children’s Theatre and several cultural institutions of Osijek.
Since then, SLUK has been a competitive festival, therefore the attention is focused on the artistic scope of the selected plays.
Plays are held on different stages where one can see performances by local, as well as, foreign ensembles. After being held in Osijek for a long period of time, in 1991 SLUK took place in Zadar and that was the last meeting in the former state of Yugoslavia. Since 1993 and the first SLUK in independent Croatia, the meeting has been held mainly in Osijek. The festival has undergone various organizational changes and has become a meeting and exhibition place of the best puppetry works in the country.
Our story
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1969.
First SLUK
First SLUK took place in Opatija in 1969.
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1977.
In the organization DKBM
SLUK found its place under the sun in the organization of the Children's Theatre and several cultural institutions of Osijek.
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1991.
SLUK in Zadar
After being held in Osijek for a long period of time, in 1991 SLUK took place in Zadar.
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1993.
SLUK today
The first SLUK in independent Croatia, the meeting has been held mainly in Osijek.
Welcome message
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30th SLUK! Adam Skendžić, the president of the Croatian Centre of UNIMA
In the busyness of today’s world, where we don’t often have the chance to stop and enjoy art, to meet people and socialise, we have – SLUK. The festival that resists the values of transience, which are inevitably imposed on us when we don’t actively make time for the things that matter. SLUK comes as
15 April, 2025 -
30th SLUK! Ivica Lučić, the director of Children’s Theatre ˝Branko Mihaljević˝
So, here we are, at the 30th SLUK! I, eto nas na tridesetom SLUK-u! Half of that period, even a bit more, I had a chance to see, to experience, to survive… We’ll see what happens next.. Still, I hope that I will , as a carefree spectator, like one of the two old men
18 March, 2025 -
The selector’s report after watching the performances registered at SLUK 2023.
The selector’s report after watching the performances registered at SLUK 2023. SLUK 2023. A total of 16 performances have applied for SLUK 2023, which will be held in Osijek In addition to the five public puppet theaters, other theaters, theater companies and all artistic organizations registered in the register of the Ministry of Culture and
6 April, 2023 -
Competition for the design of the MASCOT and prize statuette of the meeting of puppeteers and puppet theaters SLUK
Dear doll creators and masters of puppet technology, The Croatian Center UNIMA and the Academy of Arts and Culture in Osijek present a unique opportunity to participate in the competition for the design of the MASCOT and the prize statuette of the Meeting of Puppeteers and Puppet Theaters, SLUK. SLUK is a theater festival dedicated
4 April, 2023 -
29. SLUK – Introductory speech of the president Croatian Center of UNIMA
We wish you a warm welcome to SLUK, biennial meeting of puppeteers organized by the Croatian Center UNIMA and our most frequent host, the Branko Mihaljević Children’s Theater in Osijek. This festival has brought the joy and art of puppetry for many years to various cities in Croatia, and proudly continues this tradition by including
30 November, 2022 -
29. SLUK – Introductory speech of the director DKBM
There is no possibility to describe, explain, present or evoke SLUK in written or spoken words or in any other way. My colleagues at the Children’s Theater in Osijek, where I joined in 1993, were already aware of this, so they didn’t even try. Namely, when I got a job that year, SLUK had just
24 November, 2022 -
28. SLUK – Welcome message
The drops that weave the survival of SLUK! Dear puppeteers, you can see and feel for yourself that nothing is normal at this SLUK, so please forgive me for underlining it. So, it is not normal that the best puppeteers of Croatia do not all gather in one place every two years, that they do
18 May, 2021