Art Trema Fest is a theatre festival organised by Gradsko pozorište Ruma since 1998. Every March, at the Kulturni centar Ruma, it brings together academic theatres, students of academies of arts and chamber professional performances from Serbia, the region and Europe. The 30th, jubilee edition takes place in 2027.
The theatre that started the festival
Gradsko pozorište Ruma was founded in 1994 by a group of theatre lovers gathered around Zoltan Fridman, as a voluntary, non-governmental, non-political and non-profit citizens’ association. At first it cultivated a classical approach to theatre. With the launch of Art Trema Fest in 1998 it changed course and extended its work to all areas of civic initiative.
Today the theatre brings together around a hundred active members in its sections. It works with children and young people through its Drama Studio, organises workshops and camps, and presents its own productions at the festival, such as the radio drama “Ticanova buna” for RTV Vojvodina.
How Trema grew
1998–2007: a festival of academic and amateur theatres
The first Art Trema Fest took place from 18 to 22 March 1998. In its early years it was an invitation-only festival of academic and amateur theatres, workshops and studios. Alongside the main programme came Letnja Trema (Summer Trema), recorded as early as 2000, and Mala Trema (Little Trema), a programme for children and primary-school pupils.
As early as 2001 the jury awarded the Trema Masks – gold, silver and bronze – which are still the festival’s main award. From 2003 the theatre scholar Miroslav Radonjić from Novi Sad became a permanent part of the festival: jury member, selector and president of the Artistic Council. In 2007 the best performances were chosen by a Parliament of Active Spectators.
2008–2019: the regional scene
In its second decade the festival brought performances from Croatia, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Slovakia, Italy and Sweden. In addition to March, Trema u avgustu (Trema in August), a summer section featuring examples of good theatre practice, was held in 2011 and 2013. Jury members included Jovan Ćirilov (2013) and Zijah Sokolović, who since 2018 has been a frequent jury member and a friend of the festival.
For the 21st edition in 2018, the selector chose six competition and two showcase performances from more than 120 applications.
2020–2026: through the pandemic to an international festival
Because of the pandemic, the 23rd Art Trema Fest was held in September 2020, and the 24th edition was also staged in September, in 2021. Since the 25th, jubilee edition in 2022, Zoltan Fridman has been the selector and executive producer, and alongside academic theatres the festival has opened up to chamber professional forms from across the region.
The 27th edition in 2024 marked 25 years of Trema and 30 years of Gradsko pozorište Ruma with a multimedia installation and Zijah Sokolović’s performance “Goya”, staged in honour of the theatre’s anniversary. At the 29th edition in 2026, in partnership with SPAM studio from Sofia, companies from Bulgaria, Turkey, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary and Serbia performed.
How the festival works today
- Trema u martu (Trema in March) is the competition section: up to 12 performances in two categories – performances by students of academies of arts and academic theatres, and chamber forms by professional theatres.
- Trema u septembru (Trema in September) is the section for examples of good theatre practice, also open to amateur theatres, drama studios and groups of all ages.
- Mala Trema (Little Trema) is the programme for children of primary-school age.
- Side programme: exhibitions, panel discussions, post-show talks with the artists, book launches and concerts.
- Three juries: a three-member professional jury, the Jury of Active Citizens in Culture and the Secret Jury.
On average around 2,000 spectators attend the festival, and during Trema Ruma hosts more than 250 guests and participants.
All editions
Click on an edition to open its programme, jury, awards and all its performances in the archive.
| Edition | Year | Dates | Performances in the archive |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29th Art Trema Fest | 2026 | 25.–30.03.2026 | 10 |
| 28th Art Trema Fest | 2025 | 27.–31.03.2025 | 13 |
| 27th Art Trema Fest | 2024 | 27.–31.03.2024 | 15 |
| 26th Art Trema Fest | 2023 | 22.–26.03.2023 | 9 |
| 25th Art Trema Fest | 2022 | 23.–27.03.2022 | 8 |
| 24th Art Trema Fest | 2021 | 22.–26.09.2021 | 9 |
| 23rd Art Trema Fest | 2020 | 24.–27.09.2020 | 4 |
| 22nd Art Trema Fest | 2019 | 27.–31.03.2019 | 10 |
| 21st Art Trema Fest | 2018 | 22.–25.03.2018 | 8 |
| 20th Art Trema Fest | 2017 | 22.–25.03.2017 | 9 |
| 19th Art Trema Fest | 2016 | 24.–28.03.2016 | 9 |
| 18th Art Trema Fest | 2015 | 26.–29.03.2015 | 12 |
| 17th Art Trema Fest | 2014 | 27.–29.03.2014 | 13 |
| 16th Art Trema Fest | 2013 | 21–23.03.2013; Letnja Trema (Summer Trema) 22.08–25.08.2013 | 13 |
| 15th Art Trema Fest | 2012 | 22.–24.03.2012 | 8 |
| 14th Art Trema Fest | 2011 | 24–26.03.2011; Letnja Trema (Summer Trema) 24.08–27.08.2011 | 14 |
| 13th Art Trema Fest | 2010 | 25.–28.03.2010 | 19 |
| 12th Art Trema Fest | 2009 | 26.–29.03.2009 | 13 |
| 11th Art Trema Fest | 2008 | 27.–30.03.2008 | 10 |
| 10th Art Trema Fest | 2007 | 27.–31.03.2007 | 16 |
| 9th Art Trema Fest | 2006 | 16.–26.03.2006 | 11 |
| 8th Art Trema Fest | 2005 | 23.–27.03.2005 | 17 |
| 7th Art Trema Fest | 2004 | 18.–28.03.2004 | 18 |
| 6th Art Trema Fest | 2003 | 20.–30.03.2003 | 14 |
| 5th Art Trema Fest | 2002 | 18.–24.03.2002 | 15 |
| 4th Art Trema Fest | 2001 | 19.–25.03.2001 | 15 |
| 3rd Art Trema Fest | 2000 | 20.–26.03.2000 | 14 |
| 2nd Art Trema Fest | 1999 | 17.–21.03.1999 | 9 |
| 1st Art Trema Fest | 1998 | 18.–22.03.1998 | 5 |
Source: the festival archive and the documentation of Gradsko pozorište Ruma. The archive is still growing: if you have a programme, a photo or a correction for any edition, write to info@arttremafest.rs.