TACE – Theatre Architecture in Central Europe

The project “Theatre Architecture in Central Europe” (TACE) was a three-year initiative focused on the preservation of cultural heritage. Through collaboration between research and documentation centers from five countries, the project presented the history of theatre architecture development in various parts of Central Europe, within the broader context of the entire region.

The National Theatre in Prague (Národní divadlo Praha) directed the project, with co-organizers including the Theatre Institute in Bratislava (Divadelný ústav Bratislava), Hungarian Museum and Theatre Institute (Országos Színháztörténeti Múzeum és Intézet), Theatre Museum in Ljubljana (Slovenski gledališki muzej), and the Zbigniew Raszewski Theatre Institute in Warsaw.

The project encompassed various activities:

1. The creation of a database, which serves as an electronic archive of theatre architecture: www.theatre-architecture.eu/db.
2. The publication of “Beyond Everydayness: Theater Architecture in Central Europe,” an extensive and richly illustrated monograph in English that delves into the development of theatre spaces in Central Europe.
3. The organization of the symposium “Prostor in igra,” which focused on space in experimental theatre during the second half of the 20th century. The symposium took place in Ljubljana from November 26 to 28, 2009.
4. The publication of “Occupying Spaces: Experimental Theatre in Central Europe 1950-2010,” a dedicated study exploring theatre spaces and their presence in non-theatrical locations.
5. The presentation of a traveling exhibition called “Beyond Everydayness: Theatre Architecture in Central Europe.” This exhibition showcased significant landmarks and the evolution of theatre architecture in the participating countries.
6. The organization of Workshop I, titled “Protection of Monuments and their Reconstruction.” This workshop, held in Lublin from August 16th to 25th, 2010, involved students specializing in monument conservation and architecture. The participants collaborated on developing a restoration concept for a historic theatre building.
7. Workshop II, named “Theatre Architecture: Visions and Possibilities,” aimed to create a project for a new theatre building in the capital of Slovenia, Ljubljana. The workshop took place from March 18th to 20th, 2009.