CULTURAL CENTRE - Pančevo

The history of Cultural Center of Pančevo is inextricably connected with Pančevo’s theatre life which has lasted for about 250 years. Theatre performances in Serbian language are linked to Joakim Vujić, "the father of Serbian theater", who lived and worked in Pančevo since 1824. The golden age of Serbian theater was in the 1840s, when Nikola Djuričković established the theater company with all the characteristics of a real theater. From the 1850s, till the break of the Monarchy in 1918, traveling theaters had their performances in Serbo-Croatian, Hungarian and German language.

At the beginning of 1945, the professional theater that worked in Pančevo became a section of Theater of Vojvodina in Novi Sad. In 1947, the Commission for the expropriation brought a decree to take the building of a wealthy trader Oskar Fisegrund, and make it a national property for the theater use. The theater building was built that same year, on 28 of December, and had 600 seats and a balcony. Today, this edifice is known as the Cultural Center of Pančevo. At that time, the art ensemble consisted of about 25 members, and in certain periods, more than 70 people were employed. In the period from 1944 - 1956, almost 2000 plays were performed on the home scene and 425 away.

In1965, National Municipality Board decides to abolish the National Theater and turn it into Cultural Center. This decision of political authorities in Pančevo will have far-reaching consequences for the cultural life of the town. The institution was named the Center for Culture "Olga Petrov" Pančevo. In the years that followed the theater life developed in slow motion. Rare appearances of other theaters were supposed to create the impression that there are cultural events, and sporadic concerts of classical music, which usually occurred in the Big Gallery, today's Gallery of Contemporary Art, had only educational character (most often they were performed by the music school students). In 1980s, cultural life gets a new incentive. At that time was established the children’s stage, a traveling puppet troop and in 1988 the Children’s theater "Trubač".

In 1990s, the Center got its new look. The building was reconstructed (hall capacity is 380 seats, balconies have been removed, the lobby and ticket office were renovated) and the Center for Culture "Olga Petrov" changes its name to the Pančevo Center for Culture.

In the sense of production, the Center turns more to the fine arts scene through a manifestation called Pančevo Exhibition of Yugoslav Sculpture, which later changes its name to Biennial of Visual Art.

In 2006, it changed its name once again to the Cultural Center of Pančevo. Since then, the Center has been working more dynamically, it has had a rich, diverse and quality program, investment activities have been increased. As a result, at the end of 2006 the new building was built behind the stage. At the same time, the Center begins to create its own production, especially in the field of theater, establishing the Childen’s Stage "Podji tuda." (Go that way..). A contract on co-production with the National Theater in Belgrade was signed in December 2006, and it revived the ancient tradition of creating a theater production for adults.