The public broadcaster Slovak Television and Radio (STVR), together with the Trnava Self-Governing Region, the city of Piešťany, and the local library, have announced the 14th edition of the radio production festival for children and youth titled “Zázračný oriešok. Book in Radio – Radio in Book.” The festival opens on June 16 in Piešťany and will run for four days, offering radio fairy tales, dramas, discussions, workshops, and other events aimed at promoting radio drama for young audiences.
This year’s edition is the largest in the festival’s history, featuring four competition categories, 24 entries, and 45 young jury members. A major innovation is a new category of radio plays for teenagers aged 15 to 18, which organizers say responds to demand for more challenging content for younger audiences and topics relevant to teenage life. “We also introduced a category of radio plays for youth, involving high school students aged 15 to 18. Their opinion matters to us; they are also our target group. It is a very interesting audience with critical thinking that can respond to more complex topics,” said Zuzana Belková from STVR.
A total of 24 works compete across four categories, all required to have a literary basis—either adapted from books or magazines, or inspiring written publications themselves. Licensed entries are available in STVR’s online archive.
Winners will be decided by a nine-member expert jury consisting of radio dramaturges, media experts, literary critics, and specialists in children’s and youth content. Each juror evaluates specific aspects such as sound design, dramaturgy, or media production. In parallel, a children’s jury of 45 young readers from the Piešťany City Library also votes independently, divided into four age groups corresponding to the competition categories, often producing surprising results.
The four-day festival also includes a rich accompanying program featuring theater performances, illustration workshops, exhibitions, concerts, and discussions with authors, actors, and illustrators across multiple venues in Piešťany.
Source: TASR
