About us

The Garden (both the organization and the physical space) was preceded by the Ivan Palúch Theatre, a space where we all met and got excited about a shared vision. We were brought together thanks to Viera Dubačová, and a few other cultural enthusiasts, who operated this space as an open platform for the arts, and also as the home stage of the Theatre from the Passage. In October 2010, we had to leave the former pancake house and theatre in the Arcade passage and founded Záhrada (“the garden”) in the courtyard of the Beniczky passage. In November 2010, we hosted the first concert of the Czech band DVA in the then abandoned building.

A lot has changed since then. We replaced the roof, built a sewer system, installed electricity, cleaned the building, which contained several tons of garbage, revitalized the garden park, and gradually transformed the building into a facility for the arts. Thanks to the EEA and Norway funds, we were able to install heating, insulate the building, build sanitary facilities, and carry out many other works and events.

Currently, we have a stable and professional work team and have become a fully established organization and cultural center, known both in Slovakia and abroad. The long-term mission of Záhrada is to create professional conditions for contemporary artistic production of both emerging and established artists and groups, to create space for dialogue on current social and human rights topics, and to provide opportunities for informal education of young people and audience development. Our main activities are the organization of cultural events in the field of artistic presentation and production, their preparation and realization (theatre/dance/performance, music, visual arts, discussions, lectures, workshops, residencies, and festivals), while connecting contemporary art, informal education, and community life employing the creative potential of young people. 

We are also the home venue for the Municipal Theatre – Theatre from the Passage, the independent theatre group Odivo, and the SKOK! civic association, which serves as an information and residency centre for contemporary dance and physical theatre.