Theatre, Music, and Sports. Get Involved in Student Life at UCM to the Fullest

UCM THE.ART.RE

Shakespeare is the master, but we do theatre differently. With this slogan, the university amateur theatre group THE.ART.RE invites visitors to its performances. It was founded in 2010 and originally operated in the UCM premises in Jama. Later, it moved to the basement of the building on J. Herda Square, which students renovated on their own. Today, it serves as a permanent home equipped with a stage, seating, lighting, and sound technology. Since its founding, the theatre has rehearsed and premiered many interesting plays by famous contemporary and world authors, performing to full houses in venues such as the Ján Palárik Theatre in Trnava and the Karol Spišák Old Theatre in Nitra. The ensemble regularly participates in competitions and festivals such as KasiopeaFest in Budmerice, the Summer Theatre Festival in Košice, and the Senica Theatre Fever. If you’ve always been drawn to acting but never had the courage to try it, UCM THE.ART.RE is here for you. The group allows students from all faculties to develop their talents — not only as actors but also as technicians, costume designers, make-up artists, photographers, or scriptwriters.

University Folklore Ensemble TRNAFČAN

Trnafčan was active on the Slovak folklore scene long before UCM itself was founded. It was established in 1984 as the Dudváh folklore ensemble. It became part of our alma mater in 2010 and has since regularly and successfully represented both the university and the Trnava region at national and international folklore festivals. The dancers of Trnafčan have performed in Myjava, Dubnica nad Váhom, Trenčín, Lysá pod Makytou, as well as in the Czech Republic, Italy, Greece, Portugal, and faraway Mexico. The ensemble also competes in dance and choreography contests such as Academic Zvolen, Academic Nitra, and Šaffova Ostroha. Its artistic work focuses mainly on presenting the cultural heritage of the Trnava region, but its repertoire also includes dance, musical, and vocal interpretations of folk traditions from other parts of Slovakia. If you love folklore, you’re in the right place — Trnafčan welcomes new and talented students every year.

HIT UCM Trnava

Without a doubt, one of our most successful university sports clubs. The women’s volleyball team HIT UCM Trnava was founded in 2012 and, in 2016, advanced undefeated to the top league, where it has now played for eight years. In the last season, the team achieved a historic third place in the extraleague, and their goal for the upcoming season is to finish in the top four. The university supports the team financially by providing accommodation for players and coaches, motivational sports scholarships, and free use of the gym in Jama.

University Student Magazine ATTELIÉR

For many years, the monthly magazine Atteliér has been the most successful university magazine in Slovakia. Its editorial team, both online and print, proves this every year at the national student journalism competition Štúrovo pero held at the Ľudovít Štúr Regional Library in Zvolen. The magazine was founded at the Faculty of Mass Media Communication (FMK UCM) in 2003 and has since earned numerous awards. It covers current events at the university and in Trnava, as well as social issues, culture, and media. Students can gain hands-on experience in all aspects of magazine production — writing articles, interviews, and commentaries, as well as creating their own Atteliér podcasts. Over the past 20 years, many students have passed through its newsroom, many of whom now work as successful journalists and editors. One former editor-in-chief is Juraj Koník, now head reporter at Denník N. Atteliér is also the only university medium to have been nominated for the Czechoslovak Public Award at the 2022 Journalism Awards, won by former editor-in-chief Šimona Tomková. If you enjoy writing, Atteliér is your best entry into the world of professional journalism — but you’ll also find your place as an editor, photographer, or graphic designer.

Student Magazine of the Faculty of Arts – PARAZOL

Another UCM publication is the periodical Parazol. It was founded by students of the Faculty of Arts during the 2012/2013 academic year on the occasion of the university’s 15th anniversary. The magazine features interesting stories about city history, art, travel, and student life both within and beyond UCM. It also includes traditional sections devoted to students’ hobbies, inspiring interviews with university personalities, and reviews of books, films, albums, and video games. The magazine also focuses on original literature and showcases students’ photographic work.

UCM TEDI BEARS

Do you love digital games and think you can compete with the best? UCM TEDI Bears is an e-sports team that successfully represents its alma mater in electronic sports such as CS:GO, League of Legends, Rocket League, and Valorant. You can train at the Red Bull Gaming Hub, a new and unique facility located at the FMK premises on Skladová Street. The teams regularly participate in various Czech and Slovak university tournaments, which are gaining prestige every year. If you’ve got the skills with a mouse and keyboard, TEDI Bears are looking for new members to help them achieve their e-sports goals.

Radio AETTER

Since its founding in 2011, student radio AETTER has come a long way. From broadcasting only a few hours a week, over 12 years it has become the first and so far only student radio with its own frequency. You can listen to Aetter on 107.2 FM in Trnava and its surroundings 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Its music programming targets a young urban audience, featuring mainly current Slovak and international pop music, complemented by original shows, hosted segments, and news. Over the years, the radio has trained many talented presenters and editors — so if you see your future behind a microphone, the radio’s studios on Skladová Street could become your second home.

FMK TV