“Škoda Auto is proud to support the National Theatre as a globally recognised centre of Czech culture. This partnership is one way we can share our success with our home country through the arts. I’m personally pleased we can contribute to helping the National Theatre further develop its artistic work and engage audiences across generations. Our partnership now spans almost three decades, and I am delighted that it will continue.”
Klaus Zellmer, CEO of Škoda Auto
“Partnerships that last almost three decades are about more than cooperation between two leading institutions. They reflect mutual trust and a shared belief that culture has an irreplaceable role to play in society. We greatly value Škoda Auto’s long-standing support for the National Theatre and its commitment to helping us focus on what matters most – creating high-quality art and bringing it to the widest possible audience.”
Jan Burian, Director General of the National Theatre
Nearly three decades of partnership
Škoda Auto and the National Theatre is a notable example of long-term collaboration between Czech industry and the cultural sector. Alongside financial support, Škoda Auto also provides mobility for the National Theatre. Eight vehicles on long-term loan meet the theatre’s day-to-day mobility needs, supporting both its operations and the work of its artistic ensembles. The partnership thus supports the National Theatre’s work across all of its artistic disciplines and venues.
In 2025, the National Theatre staged more than 900 performances at its own venues and on tour, attracting more than 500,000 paying audience members. Through its partnership with the National Theatre, Škoda Auto engages an important target audience.
The National Theatre enters its 144th season
The National Theatre opened its 144th season a few days ago, with a programme spanning drama, opera, ballet and Laterna magika. Throughout the theatre season, audiences can look forward to new productions as well as returning favourites. Highlights include the operas Rusalka and The Devil and Kate, the plays The Three Musketeers and Me and Twelfth Night, and the ballets L’Histoire de Manon or Sun, Moon and Wind.
The National Theatre’s artistic programme is presented at its main venues – the historic National Theatre building, the Estates Theatre and the State Opera. The National Theatre also includes the New Stage, where a major renovation began in March 2026 and is expected to take two years. Through this partnership, Škoda Auto supports ensembles that reach broad audiences through a wide range of genres and performances across the National Theatre’s venues.
By extending the agreement, Škoda Auto is continuing a partnership that began in 1998 and has become one of the carmaker’s longest-running cultural partnerships. The partnership will run until at least 2029, with Škoda Auto continuing to support the National Theatre and its artistic ensembles.
Preserving Czech cultural heritage and supporting its continued development have long been part of Škoda Auto’s corporate social responsibility. For many years, the carmaker has therefore supported major cultural institutions and projects that help preserve Czech cultural traditions while bringing them to contemporary audiences.
