The　International　Children’s Festival, Sibenik Croatia

The International Children’s Festival was founded in 1958. Its main goal is to promote the esthetic upbringing of children and youth, and to encourage and develop all artistic forms of children’s creativity. 

Both professional creations for children and children’s creations are given attention. 

The Festival is fulfilling its goals through two main activities:

−　organizing yearly performances of selected theater groups( drams, puppet shows, musicals ), picture shows, artistic exhibitions and children’s exhibitions, with participants from Croatia and abroad;

―　organizing conferences about the creativity and art for children, and publishing relevant foundings which should influence the future development of art for children.

So far there have been 57 festivals. Along with participants from abroad, the best children’s groups and theater groups fro children from all regions of the no longer existing Yugoslavia have participated in the festival program. 

Sibenik has become an important meeting place for cultures from numerous countries from around the world. Many international connections, the exchange of experience, and long lasting cooperation between creators and organizations have been made here.

In previous Festival programs theater groups and individual participants from the following countries have taken part:

Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia,Egypt, England, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, India, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Palestine, Poland, Portugal, Rumania, Scotland, Senegal, Spain, South Korea, Sweden, Soviet Union, Syria, Turkey, The United States of America, and Zimbabwe. Well known humanists such as Josephine Baker and Peter Ustinov have also participated in the Festival.

The Festival has also hosted the Executive Committees of specialized international theater organizations 
for children and youth such as ASSITEJ (international organization of drama theaters for children and youth) and UNIMA (international organization of puppet theaters), both of which are member of UNESCO. 

The Festival achievements have attracted numerous festival delegations from abroad to visit Sibenik and to get acquainted with our experience and our methods.

The Festival is held each year during two weeks. 
The date of opening ceremonies of the Festival is determined as the closet Saturday. 

Theater groups from Croatia are chosen through a selection, whereas those from abroad their application with the relevant material ( video-tapes, posters, photographs and information about their theater).

The applications are due by the end of December for those interested to participate in the Sibenik the following June.