PHOTO: First purpose-built dance school to open in Zagreb
- by croatiaweek
- in News
The City of Zagreb has obtained planning permission for the construction of the first purpose-built dance school in the Croatian capital.
The new Silvija Hercigonja School of Artistic Dance will be located at the intersection of Zagorska and Selska streets.
Detailed project designs are currently being finalised, after which a public tender will be announced for the contractor. The school will be fully funded by the city budget.
The original school building, constructed in the 1930s, was damaged in the earthquake and had to be demolished.
The new building, covering nearly 4,000 square metres, will be four times larger than the old one and built to the highest standards of artistic education.
It will provide a modern, high-quality, and functional space for future generations of dancers.
“This is not just about building a new school; it’s a new chapter for the art of dance in Zagreb and Croatia. For the first time, the school will have a space that isn’t a compromise but a true home for the art of dance,” said the Mayor of Zagreb, Tomislav Tomašević. He added that with this project, the City of Zagreb is raising the bar for dance education in Croatia.
The new Silvija Hercigonja School of Artistic Dance will feature a large production hall, state-of-the-art dance studios, classrooms for theory and individual lessons, a library, storage for ballet costumes, props and decorations, as well as other supporting facilities.
Additionally, the school will include a new outdoor sports field.
“This project will provide students with better working and creative conditions while giving Zagreb a space that supports the development of dance at the highest level. Furthermore, the building will be designed as a nearly zero-energy structure, continuing our commitment to climate neutrality,” said Danijela Dolenec, Deputy Mayor of Zagreb.
The City of Zagreb’s total investment in the construction and expansion of schools and nurseries during this term amounts to nearly €340 million.
To date, 26 nurseries and schools have been completed at a cost of €185 million. Construction is currently underway on 11 more, valued at €87 million, and work on an additional two nurseries and four schools, worth €65 million, will begin in the coming months.
Moreover, in 2024 alone, €30 million has been allocated for the maintenance and modernisation of schools and nurseries – five times the amount invested in 2021.