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Damir Bubalo
Episode · #527

POSLOVNI ĐIR Damir Bubalo

Guest Damir BubaloHosted by Ojdana KoharevićMay 3, 2026
About this episode
What you'll hear in this conversation

The conversation begins with the most striking detail: Teatar uz more, a theater festival in Split, launched in the middle of the pandemic lockdown, a time when every other cultural event worldwide was canceling. Damir Bubalo, the festival's director, describes how this audacious decision, made by a small team in just three days, was met with unexpected euphoria from the local audience. His story is one of building a thriving cultural enterprise not despite, but perhaps because of, the most challenging circumstances. Bubalo proves that sometimes, the biggest opportunities emerge when the world expects nothing, and that a deep commitment to community can create unexpected commercial success even when traditional support structures are absent. Readers will consider how an unwavering focus on audience needs can define a new kind of cultural entrepreneurship, offering lessons in resilience and unconventional growth.

Insights from the conversation
What to take from this episode
01
The decision to launch Teatar uz more, made by a small team in just three days, came when it was 'the only theater festival in the world to open during the pandemic lockdown.' This proved that sometimes the greatest opportunities appear when conventional wisdom dictates retreat: when everything else cancels, being the only option creates its own demand.
02
The festival consistently sees 96-97% occupancy rates, with many attendees buying tickets for six or eight shows in advance. This level of audience commitment, even from pensioners on fixed incomes, became the primary financial engine, compensating for minimal institutional funding. When your audience becomes your most reliable investor, you focus on their value, not just their spend.
03
A team of just four people manages 67 programs over three months. Bubalo explains that if they had the larger staff of a national institution, they 'would have gone broke before we even started.' A lean operational structure isn't just about efficiency; for small, independent ventures, it's often the only path to survival and growth.
04
Despite receiving only 20,000 Kuna from a 5-million-Kuna state fund, Teatar uz more remains committed to affordable ticket prices. Bubalo states, 'we don't want to charge people expensive tickets.' This trade-off means prioritizing accessibility and audience volume over maximizing per-ticket revenue, effectively turning community goodwill into a sustainable business model.
05
Bubalo describes communicating with their audience 'on a daily basis,' sometimes even emailing them to gauge interest in potential new shows. This approach creates a sense of 'big family' with patrons, moving beyond transactional relationships to co-creation. The most valuable feedback isn't a survey, but direct conversations that make your audience feel invested in your success.
06
Bubalo argues that 80% of citizens feel 'aversion' when passing a national theater, a result of two decades of 'elitism' that kept culture 'closed in a building.' He believes the function of a national theater is to be accessible to everyone, not just an elite. This critique highlights the opportunity for smaller, agile initiatives to reconnect with a public alienated by established institutions, bringing culture back to the 'people' it's meant for.
07
The host describes Teatar uz more as 'a drop of water in the palm of your hand,' a place where people 'started going out again, socializing with others' during the pandemic. Beyond its core offering, the festival provided a crucial social outlet when few existed. Sometimes, the most powerful commercial value a business delivers isn't its product, but the unexpected human connection it fosters during times of scarcity.
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