Main Projects / Activities

The main activities of Theatre Don Hihot integrate theatre production, creative education, inclusive cultural practices and community-based projects, with a strong focus on children, youth and intercultural dialogue within diverse social and geographical contexts.

Theatre Don Hihot transforms storytelling and theatre into inclusive, participatory methodologies that connect children, communities and cultures across rural, island and Mediterranean spaces.

The organisation works with children (ages 6–14), young people, educators, families, vulnerable groups and local communities, particularly in rural and island areas. Its work is based on participatory, storytelling-driven and inclusive artistic methodologies that connect art, education and social engagement within the Mediterranean and European cultural space.

Since its establishment in 2010, Theatre Don Hihot has reached more than 16,000 children and young people, collaborated with over 180 schools, libraries and cultural institutions, and implemented programmes in more than 70 towns, villages and islands across Croatia.

Theatre productions for children and youth

Theatre Don Hihot creates and performs interactive theatre productions for young audiences, combining educational, ecological and participatory approaches. Key performances include Bee, be carefull!, Zecmen, Dobrica Dabar, Desetka Like and others.

To date, the organisation has performed more than 1,000 theatre shows in schools, cultural centres, festivals and local communities. Its interactive theatre format encourages active audience participation, dialogue and creative reflection on social, environmental and cultural themes.

Through theatre, children and young people are invited to explore identity, diversity, environmental responsibility and community values, contributing to intercultural understanding and critical thinking.

Literary and creative education projects

For four consecutive years, Theatre Don Hihot has collaborated with the Croatian Writers’ Society on the national project “Tko čita, ne skita” (Those Who Read, Wander Further), delivering creative writing and literary workshops for children in small, remote rural communities and on Croatian islands.

The project has involved more than 1,200 children from over 30 rural and island communities, strengthening reading culture, storytelling skills and intercultural awareness, while ensuring equal access to cultural programmes for children living in geographically and socially less accessible areas.

Signature creative programmes

A distinctive part of the organisation’s identity is the programme “Write Your First Picture Book”, based on a participatory storytelling methodology.

Children are guided through the complete creative process: inventing characters, developing narrative structures, building conflict and resolution, illustrating their stories and finally taking home their own original picture book.
The programme has engaged more than 800 children and has become a recognizable educational and artistic format of the organisation.

The programme “Write Your First Story” further develops narrative skills, imagination and personal expression among children and youth, combining creative writing, dramaturgy and interactive learning methods.

Together, these programmes promote creative literacy, self-expression and confidence among young participants.

Inclusive and research-based cultural practices

Theatre Don Hihot develops inclusive artistic methodologies in collaboration with the NGO Dodir i Dlan (Zagreb), focusing on cultural and educational work with deafblind persons.

These practices are grounded in academic research and practice-based methodologies developed through doctoral research on artistic and educational work with deafblind persons.
The organisation has implemented inclusive workshops and adapted artistic formats involving deafblind participants, educators and artists, promoting accessibility, empathy and dialogue between different sensory, cultural and social experiences.

Community, intercultural and environmental projects

The organisation implements community-based and intercultural projects that connect schools, libraries, NGOs and local communities, integrating ecological themes and promoting environmental awareness through theatre and storytelling.

Through its programmes, Theatre Don Hihot fosters intercultural dialogue, strengthens community cohesion and contributes to the Mediterranean cultural space by exploring shared narratives, identities and values through art.

By combining theatre, literature, education and social engagement, Theatre Don Hihot creates innovative cultural formats that empower children and young people, support vulnerable groups and build bridges between communities, cultures and generations.