An appel for international 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.

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.

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

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, 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 BIBIČ, Saša JOVANOVIČ, Ema KUGLER, Tanja LAŽETIĆ, Alenka PIRJEVEC, Irena PIVKA, Franci PURG, Brane ZORMAN, Dragan ŽIVADINOV.

LETTER OF SUPPORT TO
ASOCIACIJA, association of NGOs and free-lance artists in the fields of Culture and the Arts, Metelkova 6, Ljubljana, Slovenia
asociacija@mail.ljudmila.org

Dear Sirs,

We heard about the alarming situation in which all NGOs and free-lance artists in the field of Contemporary Culture and the 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, 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 the funding for artistic projects of free-lance artists, there will definitely be a big void in the public offer of the vivid urban culture and contemporary arts 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 in Slovenia to take all necessary acts in their power to prevent such a disaster to happen and provide the necessary conditions for contemporary arts to develop and flourish, in Ljubljana, the City of Culture and in Slovenia. 

(Signature)
artist / organization

SCCA-Ljubljana
Center for Contemporary Arts
Metelkova 6, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
www.scca-ljubljana.si
phone: 00 386 1 431 83 85
fax: 00 386 1 430 06 29
contact person: Dušan Dovc
e-mail: info@scca-ljubljana.si

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.