ARTISTIC PRODUCTION AND LIVE PERFORMANCES, 2025

 

Croatian theatres

A total of 187 theatres completed reports for the survey ''Artistic Production and Live Performances in 2025'', of which 127 were professional theatres with permanent stages, 25 were professional children’s theatres and 35 were amateur theatres.

A total of 13 600 plays were performed in Croatia and abroad. The plays were attended by 1 923 449 visitors in the Republic of Croatia and abroad. A total of 2 579 titles were performed in all theatres. Out of that, 60% were created by domestic authors. There were 661 premieres, which accounted for 26% of all titles performed, and 55% were created by domestic authors.

Professional theatres for all ages performed 5% fewer plays in Croatia and abroad and had 2% more visitors than in the previous year. For harmonisation with the register of the Ministry of Culture and Media, the number of professional theatres in the 2025 coverage increased by 24 theatres. These are mostly smaller theatrical groups and artistic organisations that did not affect significantly the number of plays and visitors. However, there was a significant increase of 34% in the number of titles performed compared to 2024.

In 2025, amateur theatres performed 168 titles, of which 161 were created by domestic authors and 74 were premieres. A total of 612 plays were performed for 72 690 visitors in Croatia and abroad. Compared to 2024, the number of operating amateur theatres remained the same; however, 8% fewer titles were performed and 34% more plays for 4% more visitors.

Professional children's theatres performed 502 titles, of which 342 were created by domestic authors and 47 were premieres. The number of titles performed for the youngest audience increased by 10% compared to 2024, but there were 24% fewer plays, whereas thanks to a larger offer of titles, the number of youngest visitors increased by 23%.

When comparing the work of theatres with the previous year, the most notable increase is the one in the number of performed titles, 25% more compared to 2024, with as many as 35% of premiere titles. The diversity of the titles offered certainly contributed to the great interest of audiences of all ages in the performing arts.

In 2025, there were 3 427 theatre employees, which is 13% more than in 2024, which also corresponds to this year's larger theatre coverage. In 2025, there were 1 240 amateurs who volunteered in the production of all theatre plays, or 46% more than in the previous year, and there were 1 519 children who participated in the plays. In 2025, Croatian theatres hired 3 773 persons on a contractual basis.

The data on theatre attendance by type of theatre and by the degree of urbanisation (G-4) for 2025 clearly show the importance of amateur theatres for rural areas. In cities, 72.1% of theatre attendance was attributed to visitors to professional theatres, 96.1% to visitors to children’s theatres and 13.8% to visitors to amateur theatres. In towns, 27.2% of theatre attendance was attributed to visitors to professional theatres, 3.2% to visitors to children’s theatres and 57.5% to visitors to amateur theatres. Compared to cities and towns, amateur theatres had the most visitors in rural areas of the Republic of Croatia, namely 28.7%, professional theatres had 0.7% of visitors, and children’s theatres had 0.7% of visitors. Theatre visitors in rural areas make up only 1.8% of the total visitor population (G-3). However, children’s and amateur theatres are extremely important for access to cultural content in less populated areas of the Republic of Croatia.

Concerts of orchestras, ensembles and choirs

In 2025, a total of 80 orchestras and ensembles were active, of which six were symphony and large orchestras, 40 were chamber orchestras and 34 were chamber ensembles. A total of 1 403 concerts, performances and festivities were performed, which was 10% more than in 2024, and they were attended by 426 291 visitors, which was 53% more than in 2024.

There were 19 active choirs in 2025, of which one was professional choir and 18 were amateur choirs. They performed 290 concerts for 89 124 visitors.

A total of 68 folk dance and music ensembles, of which only one professional, had 1 512 performances in 2025, of which 78 were abroad. They were attended by 466 450 visitors.

In 2025, there were 417 persons employed in orchestras and ensembles, of which 97% were employed in large symphony orchestras. There were 42 persons employed in choirs, and 109 in folk dance and music ensembles. There were 1 111 persons employed on a contractual basis in orchestras and ensembles, 139 in choirs, and 246 in folk dance and music ensembles.

 

1 THEATRES

2 ORCHESTRAS, ENSEMBLES AND CHOIRS, CROATIAN FOLK DANCE AND MUSIC ENSEMBLES

NOTES ON METHODOLOGY

Sources and methods of data collection

Data are the result of the processing of statistical reports filled in by professional, children’s and amateur theatres on the Annual Report on Theatres (KU-1 form). Professional orchestras, ensembles and choirs, as well as amateur ensembles that perform professionally, fill in the Annual Report on Orchestras, Ensembles and Choirs (KU-2 form), while folk dance and music ensembles that actively promote traditional cultural heritage enter their data in the Annual Report on Folk Dance and Music Ensembles (KU-3 form).

Coverage and comparability

The survey covers professional, professional children’s and amateur theatres, professional and amateur orchestras, ensembles and choirs on the territory of the Republic of Croatia that were performing in 2025, as well as Croatian folk dance and music ensembles that actively promoted traditional cultural heritage in 2025. The data are partly comparable to those from the previous surveys due to moving from a season to a calendar year and expanding the population of orchestras and ensembles to cover amateur organisations.

Definitions and explanations

Professional theatre is a cultural and artistic institution, that is, an artistic organisation, either with a resident professional company or with a professional company recruited only for individual performances on a contractual basis.

Professional children’s theatre is a professional theatre regularly giving performances for children, which includes the participation of children along with that of a professional company.

Amateur theatre is a theatre in which the artistic company consists mostly of amateurs. It can either be independent or a constituent part of an association of cultural-artistic amateurism, home of culture, etc.

Stage is a separate space in a theatre or in another location where a professional company performs.

Professional orchestras and choirs are musical ensembles consisting of professional musicians/singers who may be employed either on a permanent or on a contractual basis.

Amateur orchestras and choirs are musical ensembles consisting of amateur musicians/singers, often as part of an association or an artistic organisation, which perform publicly, but their activities are voluntary, and they rarely have members employed on a permanent or on a contractual basis.

Croatian folk dance and music ensembles are ensembles consisting of professional and/or amateur singers and dancers whose goal is to collect authentic national folklore and perform artistic presentations of folk dances, music and songs.

Concert is a public performance that constitutes the whole programme of an event, while performing during formal events and festivities includes participation only in a part of the whole program.

 

Abbreviations
EU	European Union
USA	United States of America
Symbols
-	no occurrence
:	occurrence is not possible

 

Published by the Croatian Bureau of Statistics, Zagreb, Ilica 3, P. O. B. 80
Phone: (+385 1) 48 06 111
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Persons responsible:
Mario Vlajčević, Director of Demographic and Social Statistics Directorate
Lidija Brković, Acting Director General

Prepared by:
Marija Gojević, Gordana Bralić and Maja Lončar

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