Partner Spotlight | Ivan Zajc Croatian National Theatre: a stage between languages, histories and borders
08/09/2026
In Rijeka, theatre has always been more than a building. It is a place where languages meet, where identities cross, and where the Adriatic tells its many stories from the stage.
This is the world of the Ivan Zajc Croatian National Theatre, one of the Croatian partners of GOVART and a key voice in the project’s cross-border journey. Its history is deeply rooted in the cultural life of Rijeka, a city shaped by movement, plurality and dialogue. Since 1945, the theatre has brought together Croatian Drama, Italian Drama, Opera and Ballet, becoming a living example of how culture can connect different communities within the same space.
This multilingual and multidisciplinary identity makes HNK Rijeka a natural partner for GOVART. Its Italian Drama ensemble represents a unique cultural bridge between Croatia and Italy, while its long experience in international co-productions and artistic cooperation gives the project a strong operational and creative foundation.
Within GOVART, the theatre will host the Croatian artistic residency, transforming the stage into a laboratory for cooperation. Artists, cultural operators, public institutions and local stakeholders will work together to explore how cross-border cultural collaboration can become easier, more structured and more sustainable.
For GOVART, HNK Rijeka brings a powerful perspective: borders are not only administrative lines, but also spaces where new languages of cooperation can emerge. Through its artistic work and institutional experience, the theatre will help turn cultural mobility, shared creation and public dialogue into practical tools for the future.
From Rijeka, GOVART gains a partner capable of showing that theatre can preserve memory, open conversations and build bridges across the Adriatic.