About the Festival

The concept behind the PRIENIKY (Intersections) festival first took shape in 2023. As the vision crystallised, Edition Zero took place from 27 September to 2 October 2024, celebrating the reopening of the fully renovated Bratislava Puppet Theatre (BBD) building. This milestone symbolically brought an end to the theatre’s ten-year journey across temporary stages, while showcasing its current artistic orientation. Fittingly, the programme primarily featured artists and ensembles who had collaborated with BBD over those wandering years.

From the outset, PRIENIKY has established itself as an international festival of contemporary art touched by the magic of puppet theatre. It weaves together puppetry and object theatre with physical performance, dance, contemporary circus, music and visual arts. The festival aims to capture the rich tapestry of creative approaches in modern puppetry and to celebrate the vibrant diversity of the performing arts.

Through its curated selection of productions, PRIENIKY invites audiences to discover the unique poetics of puppet theatre and explore its boundless possibilities. Harnessing symbol, metaphor and visual storytelling, it sparks meaningful conversations about key societal issues — all while placing collaboration, mutual inspiration, empathy and the search for common ground at its core.

Edition Zero laid the foundation for a biennial festival dedicated to fostering international artistic dialogue, showcasing Slovak creation in a broader context and challenging the deep-rooted myth that puppet theatre is strictly for children. Critics praised the festival for its creative diversity, playful freedom, topical relevance and its warm, welcoming atmosphere. We warmly invite you to discover the unexpected faces of puppet theatre and find your own artistic intersections.