Symposium Responsible Culture
A symposium that will focus not only on cultural policies but also on the responsibility of culture in today’s times.
Cultural and Creative Centre Hviezda
Ul. kniežaťa Pribinu 91101 Trenčín
Main thematic blocks of the symposium:
Responsibility of the Young Generation
What does the young generation think about the governance of culture? Why don’t they seek support from the Slovak Arts Council and rather choose the path of DIY projects? How do they perceive Slovak culture? What should its role be? We will discuss these questions with representatives of diverse cultural and artistic initiatives and platforms founded or led by young people.
Responsibility of Cultural Institutions
Culture should be diverse and accessible to everyone. Naturally creating space for the support and tolerance of various groups of the population – national minorities, ethnic, marginalized, disadvantaged, and vulnerable groups – is one of the essential features of a democratic society. Are our cultural institutions sufficiently inclusive? And how do they respond to other challenges such as the climate crisis or ensuring decent working conditions in culture? We will present several examples of good practice, but also talk about failures and obstacles in building a dignified culture.
Responsibility of Cultural Policies
Do cultural policies help us build more resilient institutions? What purpose do cultural strategies serve? And what should well-governed culture look like? We will discuss the challenges of state cultural policy, which have long been on the margins of interest (not only in our country). We will compare the cultural strategies of neighboring countries, analyze the current needs of the cultural sector. What will be the fate of Slovak culture after the government abolished the obligation of the Ministry of Culture to prepare the Action Plan for the Strategy of Culture and Creative Industries of the Slovak Republic 2030 for the years 2024–2026?
Resistance as Responsibility
In recent years, not only Slovakia has faced devastating interventions in culture by the government. Poland and Hungary have had similar experiences. In this block, we will present platforms that emerged “from below” and seek to connect cultural actors to collectively find ways of resistance and survival strategies for the coming years. Together we will also look for answers to the question of where we in Slovakia have failed in defending our cultural institutions over the past two years, what forms of resistance have proven effective, and how to continue the fight.
The first evening will also feature a concert by the Polish band vgtbl.pl.
The basic annotation of the symposium and the gradually updated program can be found here: https://kapital-noviny.sk
The symposium is free of charge, but to help us prepare enough coffee and light refreshments, we kindly ask you to fill out the following form