[artinfo] [Scca_newsletter] Press release: An appel for help

[Adele Eisenstein]

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.