[artinfo] [Scca_newsletter] Press release: An appel for help
Adele Eisenstein
adele at c3.hu
Thu Feb 1 02:44:23 CET 2007
SCCA, Center for Contemporary Arts-Ljubljana
PRESS RELEASE
No. 4/2007
Ljubljana, January 30, 2007
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AN APPEL FOR HELP
Dear fellow artists, directors, cultural managers, contemporary arts scene,
In 2007 the most vivid, worldwide known,
contemporary arts scene in Slovenia is being
threatened and again under attack by restraining
funding to the independent sector and free-lance
artists in Contemporary Arts in Slovenia.
Furthermore, there is a direct threat that an
even worse scenario is about to happen to all
sectors of contemporary arts scene in the capital Ljubljana.
As you are aware, the majority of artists in the
field of Contemporary Arts are located in
Ljubljana, organized in NGOs, independent
companies, institutes or as free-lance artists.
The 2007 brings us a new Mayor who has the
majority in the town council and was elected by a
wide majority vote for his 22 ambitious tasks.
To our serious concern came the publicly declared
statement of the new municipal authorities that
in 2007 the Municipality will abide to
subsidizing founding obligations towards public
institutions but there will be NO call for
applications and NO funding for all the
independent sector of culture, namely the call
for applications for three-year programmes of
NGOs as well as for projects of free-lance artists.
This announcement was publicly stated by The Head
of the Department for Culture and Research
Activity of the Municipality of Ljubljana and as
well as confirmed the Mayor. In the following
days, the expert services prepared the
preliminary municipal estimated budget for 2007
which for Culture anticipates the drop of more
than 20 % in programme funding of cultural NGOs
and NO project funding for free-lancers at all.
This alarming estimated town budget consequently
means a vast reduction of cultural activities of
all NGOs in all branches of contemporary arts,
for those who run theatres and galleries even
being on a painful verge of decline, to close
down, cease to exist and absolutely no future for the young talents to come.
Slovenia has just entered the united Europe but
is soon to be deprived of its first cultural
ambassador renowned worldwide – its breakthrough,
unique and exquisite contemporary art!
ASOCIACIJA, the association of NGOs and
free-lance artists in the fields of Culture and
the Arts has already made a public statement of
the alarming situation in Culture and is prepared
to take all necessary measures to defend the
place Slovenian Art and Culture have on the map of Europe and the World.
Please, help supporting us in our quest. We will
do everything to prevent the alleged catastrophe.
Your support will make us stronger – will make a difference.
ASOCIACIJA,
association of NGOs and free-lance artists in the
fields of Culture and the Arts:
AKSIOMA, BUNKER, Center za slovensko knjizevnost,
DRUSTVO LUTKOVNIH USTVARJALCEV, EMZIN, EN-KNAP,
E.P.I. CENTER, FORUM LJUBLJANA, GLEDALISCE ANE
MONRO, GLEDALISCE GLEJ, INTIMA, KUD B51, KUD
France Preseren, KUD KATAMAN, KUD MREZA, KUD NOR
Kranj, LAIBACH, MASKA, MESTO ZENSK, MINI TEATER,
MIROVNI INSTITUT, MUZEUM, OPS!, PLESNI STUDIO
INTAKT, PLESNI TEATER LJUBLJANA, R.O.P.OT.,
STUDIO ZA DRAMSKO IGRO, SKUC GLEDALISCE,
STUDENTSKI KULTURNI CENTER, UD FICOBALET, VIA
NEGATIVA, Zalozba FV, Zalozba RX:TX, ZANK, ZAVOD
EXODOS, Zavod FLOTA, ZAVOD K6/4, Zavod NO
HISTORY, ZAVOD P.A.R.A.S.I.T.E., ZAVOD PROJEKT
ATOL, Zavod SCCA LJUBLJANA, Zavod SPLOH, Zavod
VITKAR and free lance artists Bratko BIBIC, Sasa
JOVANOVIC, Ema KUGLER, Tanja LAZETIC, Alenka
PIRJEVEC, Irena PIVKA, Franci PURG, Brane ZORMAN, Dragan ZIVADINOV.
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LETTER OF SUPPORT TO
ASOCIACIJA, association of NGOs and free-lance
artists in the fields of Culture and the Arts
Metelkova 6, Ljubljana, Slovenia
<mailto:asociacija at mail.ljudmila.org>asociacija at mail.ljudmila.org
http://asociacija.ljudmila.net/dat/Asociacija/
Dear Sirs,
We heard about the alarming situation in which
all NGOs and free-lance artists in the field of
Contemporary Arts in Slovenia have been pushed into.
The reduction in funding by the state cultural
authorities already harmed many producers and
free-lance artists. Furthermore, we hear that
there is a tendency in the Municipality of
Ljubljana, not to subsidize the so-called
"independent production" sector at all, which
consequently means the decline in the development
of contemporary arts in Slovenia, for some
branches even the cessation of existence.
As the majority of cultural NGOs are based in the
capital, without subsidies to NGOs and funding
for artistic projects of free-lance artist, there
will definitely be a lack of the vivid urban
culture in Ljubljana, for which the capital of
Slovenia is known in Europe and worldwide and an
exquisite attraction not to be missed.
Our appeal goes to the highest national and local
cultural authorities of Slovenia to take all
necessary acts in their power not to allow and to
prevent such a disaster to happen and provide the
necessary conditions for contemporary arts to
develop and flourish, in Ljubljana and in Slovenia.
(Signature)
artist / organization
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Excuse us for cross posting.
SCCA-Ljubljana
Center for Contemporary Arts
Metelkova 6, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
<http://www.scca-ljubljana.si>http://www.scca-ljubljana.si
phone: 00 386 1 431 83 85
fax: 00 386 1 430 06 29
contact person: Dusan Dovc
e-mail: <mailto:info at scca-ljubljana.si>info at scca-ljubljana.si
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SCCA-Ljubljana is a member of Asociacija, the
association of non-government organisations and
independent creators in the field of culture and art in Slovenia.
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