UtcaSzAK Street Theatre Creative Community
HUNGARY
Founded in 2007 by theatre director Balázs Simon, UtcaSzAK is an independent Hungarian theatre company that combines artistic creation with community development and theatre education. For more than fifteen years, the organisation has worked with Roma and non-Roma children and young people, particularly in disadvantaged communities of the Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén region in Hungary, creating participatory performances and long-term educational programmes.
Their productions combine drama, music, dance, and circus arts while exploring social inclusion, cultural diversity, and shared community values.
A major milestone in the company’s development was the launch of the international Made in Gypsistan Festival in 2016, which provided a platform for young Roma participants to present their photography, films, and theatre productions to wider audiences. Building on this experience, UtcaSzAK established the TeatRom Festival in 2020, bringing together community-based theatre projects and professional artists while creating opportunities for cultural exchange, artistic visibility, and social dialogue.
Today, TeatRom is considered one of the organisation’s flagship initiatives, offering a meeting point for professional and amateur artists, supporting emerging Roma talents, and strengthening cultural participation in rural communities. The festival has also expanded through international collaborations.
UtcaSzAK's latest project, Dream of the Josy Duke (Palatinus Jóska Álma), is a documentary-fantasy musical-theatre production inspired by the historical vision of Archduke Joseph Karl of Habsburg-Lorraine, who imagined creating a self-governing Roma settlement in Hungary. Through humor, music, storytelling, and participatory performance, the production examines questions of cultural identity, integration, social mobility, and coexistence between Roma and non-Roma communities.
In recognition of their work, the NGO received the "Active Citizenship" award from the United States Embassy in 2012. In 2017 they received the György Ferenczi Foundation Award for "organizing therapeutic sessions using applied theater tools to help improve mental health and quality of life, and for introducing the methods in the field of child protection."
The collective works in partnership with educational, cultural, and Roma community organizations, creating productions that celebrate the richness, wisdom, and diversity of Roma culture. Their performances reach thousands of spectators and participants, fostering dialogue, curiosity, acceptance, and social cohesion through artistic collaboration.
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September 26, 2026 12:00 am
