Serbian theatres will go on a seven day strike in a show of support for the student protestors.
The majority of institutional theatres in Belgrade, almost the entire theatre sector in Novi Sad and theatres in Sombor and Zrenjanin will stage a 7-day strike from 10-16 February in support of student protests.
Theatres in Belgrade that will stop working for a week are the National Theatre in Belgrade, Theatre Atelje 212, Belgrade Drama Theatre, Theatre “Boško Buha,” Little Theatre “Duško Radović,” Terazije Theatre and Yugoslav Drama Theatre – leaving only a few institutions that will not participate in this type of protest.
The Drama department of the Serbian National Theatre in Novi Sad, the Youth Theatre and the majority of the collective of the Novi Sad Theatre (Újvidéki Színház) will join the theatres of Belgrade in the strike, as well as the National Theatre in Sombor and the National Theatre “Toša Jovanović” in Zrenjanin.
This marks the first time theatres in Serbia will enter such a strike, accepting an invite from students who called on them to take part in the anti-corruption and anti-autocratic wave of discontent that has swept Serbia in the last three months. “Students reminded us of our responsibility and encouraged us to self-organize so that, within our professions and the institutions where we work, we could begin active participation in the creation of a better society,” the theatres that will organize the strike said in a joint statement which actors posted on Instagram.
“We express our full solidarity with the students and unconditionally support all their demands,” theatres in strike noted. “Their struggle for justice, security, the right to free expression and a dignified life is the struggle of all of us. We also provide absolute support to all citizens who believe that our country can be a happier and fairer place. We know our audience is among them.”
“Theatre is alive only when it is part of the community. That’s why we’re leaving the stage and joining those looking for change. The theatre is a place of truth, freedom, and empathy, and for months now, truth, freedom, and empathy have stood at the blockades of faculties and protests across Serbia,” theatres in strike concluded.
Protests in Serbia erupted after the concrete canopy collapse at the Train Station in Novi Sad on 1 November 2024 which killed 15 people. The Train Station was renovated twice in the last three years and the deadly incident pointed to systemic corruption and negligence within the government and public institutions. The protests gained critical mass only when students started organizing blockades of their faculties at the end of November 2025. At the moment, more than 80 percent of public faculties in Serbia are occupied by students, joined by a few private universities.
The students’ demands are the public release of all documents related to the Train Station renovation, prosecution of all responsible that lead to the canopy collapse, prosecution of all violent attackers on students and peaceful protesters and a 20-percent budget increase for higher learning. Other section of society have joined the students in protests or in strike, including agricultural workers, teachers and professors, layers, part of the civil sector, media and the energy sector. Citizens have organized protests in more than 250 cities and towns, the largest outpour of discontent since 2000 when Slobodan Milošević’s regime fell.
In 18 January 2025, students blockading the University of Arts in Belgrade called on artists and cultural workers to enter a strike or suspended their work. “This is the moment when no one must remain silent and return to normal activities, because this state of society threatens the safety of each of us. Art has always been a driver of change and a mirror of the society in which it is created. That is why now is the moment for all artists and cultural workers to stop their activities and join in the fight for justice, security and freedom. We must no longer participate in creating the appearance of normalcy,” student of the University of Arts in Belgrade said in a public statement.
“What a blockade is for us, a suspension of work is for you. This is the moment when we will create a safe society with our actions. Until then, everything must stop,” students of the University of Arts in Belgrade concluded.
Association Independent Cultural Scene of Serbia (NKSS) was among the first to respond to the students’ request on 20 January by suspending all public events. NKSS gathers more than 100 independent cultural organization and collectives in Serbia. “We suspend all public programs in the coming period and invite artists to active struggle and protest actions that can contribute to the realization of students’ demands and general changes in society,” NKSS said in the statement.
Other associations and organizations have also joined the students’ call. The Association of Fine Artists of Serbia (ULUS) suspended its public events the same day NKSS did.
Further reading: All under the canopy: How student protesters in Serbia are making themselves heard
Borisav Matić is a critic and dramaturg from Serbia. He is the Regional Managing Editor at The Theatre Times. He regularly writes about theatre for a range of publications and media.
He’s a member of the feminist collective Rebel Readers with whom he co-edits Bookvica, their platform for literary criticism, and produces literary shows and podcasts. He occasionally works as a dramaturg or a scriptwriter for theatre, TV, radio and other media. He's the administrator of IDEA - the International Drama/Theatre and Education Association.
