The volume consists of three parts. In the first part one can read theatrical essays mapping the community/participatory theatre in a certain country. In Hungary its history is closely related to the activity of the TIE companies, in Romania to political and documentary theatre, while in Serbia, besides all this, to the numerous artistic performative initiatives derived from a complex avant-garde tradition. An essay also portrays the Scandinavian community culture and art in the form of analysing the work of a conceptual artistic based on performative perspectives – this writing is exciting for how it understands the notion of participation.

The volume consists of three parts. In the first part one can read theatrical essays mapping the community/participatory theatre in a certain country. In Hungary its history is closely related to the activity of the TIE companies, in Romania to political and documentary theatre, while in Serbia, besides all this, to the numerous artistic performative initiatives derived from a complex avant-garde tradition. An essay also portrays the Scandinavian community culture and art in the form of analysing the work of a conceptual artistic based on performative perspectives – this writing is exciting for how it understands the notion of participation. We can definitely state that, when referring to the Hungarian and Romanian community/participatory theatre, we can hardly find specialised literature, there is only a limited amount of comprehensive work concerning its historical and theoretical viewpoints; it is no mere chance that these companies invest a lot of energy in this research, in the mediation of the related literature or in training. That is why we considered it important to address such people in the second part of the volume who can share with us their ideas regarding their longer or shorter yet direct experience: details illustrating their productions, projects, organisations, or the social and cultural contexts influencing their work. We addressed not only theatre makers but also project managers, cultural managers, directors of institutions, whose goals consist in the creation and activation of free and independent platforms. This kind of work copes with a lot of difficulties: the uncertain financing, the cessation of associations, the closure of cultures, the conflicts occurring in institutions, which are at once different and similar in these post-communist social and cultural settings. Besides all these failures one may also notice a certain level of success. Both of these represent relevant experiences. The third part of the volume is a list by these three countries. Here we present those organisations, companies, centres, projects which are mostly related to participatory/community theatre – not a complete one but still, a compilation providing a certain course.