Theatre transition in focus – book promotion

A book promotion was held in the Conference Hall of the Bosnian National Theater in Zenica. Transition of theatre production in Bosnia and Herzegovina by Prof. Ph.D. Hazim Begagić.

The promotion was opened by playwright Nedžma Čizmo, and the book was presented and the author was interviewed by cultural theorist Dr. Nebojša Jovanović from the Academy of Performing Arts, University of Sarajevo. Jovanović particularly emphasized the importance of this publication for understanding cultural and organizational changes in the Bosnian and Herzegovina theater landscape in the post-transition period.

The book is a collection of essays and studies that analyze the development, challenges and transformations of theater production in Bosnia and Herzegovina over the past three decades. The work deals with cultural policies, institutional models, the legacy of the socialist period and the effects of transition, including the impact of the pandemic on the theater sector. Special focus is placed on the differences between the institutional and independent scene, and the role of contemporary management models in shaping the theater system in BiH. The author, a professor at the Cultural Studies study program at the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Zenica, uses a multidisciplinary approach to present theater not only as an art form, but also as a complex social activity. “This book offers an extremely valuable theoretical and analytical framework that can serve both researchers and practitioners in the field of performing arts,” emphasized Jovanović.

The promotion was held as part of the Supporting Program of the XXIV Festival of Bosnian and Herzegovina Drama, and was also included in the program of the 1st Student Festival of Culture (StuFeK) organized by the Faculty of Philosophy in Zenica. This event represents another in a series of successful examples of excellent cooperation between the Bosnian National Theatre and the Faculty of Philosophy, which is continuously developing through joint projects and initiatives.

The promotion brought together students, professors, representatives of the cultural scene and festival guests, confirming that the topic of the transformation of the cultural and creative sector continues to arouse significant public interest.