We Have Received the City of Rijeka Annual Award

On 15 June 2026, Rijeka City Council presented its annual public awards, recognising individuals and organisations who, through their work, creativity, and dedication, leave a lasting mark on the community.

Alongside an inspiring group of fellow award recipients, we were presented with the City of Rijeka Annual Award for internationally recognised artistic excellence and our contribution to the development of socially engaged contemporary theatre in Rijeka. It was a privilege to learn more about the remarkable work of the other recipients and the invaluable ways in which they contribute to the city and its community. We are truly honoured to be among them.

Below we publish the award citation in full:

"The artistic organisation Kolektiv Igralke consists of Ana Marija Brđanović, Anja Sabol, Sendi Sotlar and Vanda Velagić. In just six years of formal activity, Kolektiv Igralke has grown into one of the most recognisable and internationally visible performing arts collectives to emerge from Rijeka. Their work transcends the boundaries of the local theatre scene. They have developed a distinctive author-driven, research-based and feminist theatrical practice that is recognised and relevant both nationally and across Europe.

Through continuous artistic work, international co-productions and numerous awards, Igralke have established themselves as one of the region's most successful contemporary artistic initiatives. Over the past two years, they have achieved a significant international breakthrough. Their production Girls, directed by Tjaša Črnigoj, was presented at the renowned Berlin theatre HAU Hebbel am Ufer, one of Europe's leading centres for contemporary performing arts, known for its carefully curated programme featuring artists with strong authorial voices and socially engaged practices. At the time of the performance, they were the only collective from Croatia included in the programme, giving Rijeka important visibility on one of Europe's most influential theatre platforms.

Their international success is further reflected in appearances at Festival Crossings in Maribor, Zürcher Theater Spektakel in Zürich, Théâtre Vidy-Lausanne, and Festival Starke Stücke in Frankfurt. Their participation in Zürcher Theater Spektakel, one of Europe's most prestigious festivals of contemporary performing arts, is particularly noteworthy. For decades, the festival has presented artistically innovative and socially relevant work from around the world.

Alongside their international recognition, Igralke Collective has received numerous awards in Croatia and abroad. They have been honoured by audiences, professional juries and international festivals in Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia and Switzerland. Among these distinctions, the Special 'Jovan Ćirilov' Award at BITEF Festival in Serbia and Borštnik Award for Special Achievement in Slovenia (received as co-authors and performers in Mladinsko Theatre and Maska Ljubljana production Sex Education II: Fight, directed by Tjaša Črnigoj) stand out as significant acknowledgements of their position as one of the leading collectives in contemporary regional theatre. The Audience Award at Zürcher Theater Spektakel further confirms the quality and impact of their work.

Through their artistic practice, Igralke Collective makes an outstanding contribution to the development of contemporary, socially engaged and internationally relevant theatre, while promoting Rijeka as a city of contemporary art, culture and creativity."

We would like to thank the Rijeka City Council for recognising our work.

As we still do not have a permanent space for rehearsals and performances in Rijeka, we hope this recognition will encourage the creation of conditions that will allow us—and the wider independent arts scene—to continue creating and working in our own city.

Cover photo: City of Rijeka