AN APPEAL FOR INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT
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.
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.
The series of related events was launched with a new law passed recently by the Slovenian government cutting the state financing of the Municipality of Ljubljana's budget for 20 percent, which forced the city authorities to reconsider its spending.
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, to 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!
With such a cultural policy, Ljubljana – the "capital of Europe" to be in the coming year – will loose much of its urban cultural character and will change from attractive, contemporary, lively, cultural and artistic city into a dim rural village.
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.
The Letters of support should be sent to the following addresses:
- Mayor of Ljubljana: zoran.jankovic@ljubljana.si
- Deputy Mayor for Culture: jani.moederndorfer@ljubljana.si
- President of the Municipality Committee for Culture: peter.bozic@ljubljana.si
- Prime Minister: janez.jansa@gov.si
- Minister of Culture: vasko.simoniti@gov.si
- President of the National Council for Culture: gp.mk@gov.si
- Media: desk@mladina.si, desk@sta.si, info@rtvslo.si, teletext@rtvslo.si, jelka.sutej-adamic@delo.si, mojca.strajher@dnevnik.si, ales.car@dnevnik.si, kultura@vecer.com, marjana.virant@finance-on.net
- Asociacija: asociacija@mail.ljudmila.org
You can use the letter of support we prepared.
Please, act immediately! Many thanks!
ASOCIACIJA, association of NGOs and free-lance artists in the fields of Culture and the Arts:
AKSIOMA, BUNKER, Center za slovensko književnost, DRUŠTVO LUTKOVNIH USTVARJALCEV, EMZIN, EN-KNAP, E.P.I. CENTER, FORUM LJUBLJANA, GLEDALIŠČE ANE MONRO, GLEDALIŠČE GLEJ, INTIMA, KUD B51, KUD France Prešeren, KUD KATAMAN, KUD MREŽA, KUD NOR Kranj, LAIBACH, MASKA, MESTO ŽENSK, MINI TEATER, MIROVNI INŠTITUT, MUZEUM, OPS!, PLESNI STUDIO INTAKT, PLESNI TEATER LJUBLJANA, R.O.P.OT., STUDIO ZA DRAMSKO IGRO, ŠKUC GLEDALIŠČE, ŠTUDENTSKI KULTURNI CENTER, UD FIČOBALET, VIA NEGATIVA, Založba FV, Založba RX:TX, ZANK, EXODOS Ljubljana, 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 and other members Bratko BIBIČ, Saša JOVANOVIČ, Špela KUČAN, Jedrt JEŽ, Maks SORŠAK, Tanja LAŽETIĆ, Alenka PIRJEVEC, Irena PIVKA, Franci PURG, Brane ZORMAN, Dragan ŽIVADINOV.