The József Katona grant programme, launched by the Ministry of Education and Culture in 2005, helps theatres and playwrights by rewarding productions of new plays, said state secretary at the ministry Márta Schneider. Since its inception, the programme has supported productions of 91 plays by contemporary Hungarian authors.
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| Márta Schneider |
Youth theatre productions accounted for about one-quarter of the grant winners in 2008. Another quarter of winners were independent theatres and one-third were productions by ethnic Hungarian theatres outside of Hungary. Grants were won by theatres in Cluj-Napoca, Oradea, Odorheiu Secuiesc and Gheorgheni, in Romania, and in Subotica and Novi Sad, in Serbia, Schneider said.
The playwrights Lajos Nagy Parti and András Visky received grants for two works apiece. Other playwrights that won grants were János Háy, Zoltán Egressy and Attila Bartis.
The largest grant, of HUF 3.5 million, went to the József Katona Theatre to prepare a production of the play Gromov by András Vinnai.
The József Katona grant programme provided the impetus for the Deszka Festival, which showcases new plays.
Source: Hungarian News Agency (MTI)
