Open Letter to Slovenia’s Minister of Culture on Funding Cuts

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OPEN LETTER
EAIPA on January 31st 2022

Funding cuts for contemporary art structures in Slovenia

Dear Mr. Vasko Simoniti,

EAIPA the European Association of Independent Performing Arts wishes to express its concern regarding the current situation of the contemporary art scene in Slovenia. It has come to our attention that several important contemporary art structures in Slovenia have suffered a sudden and substantial cut in their funding.

Affected structures such as Nomad Dance Academy Slovenija, Emanat, Gledališče Glej, Delak Institute, Maska, City of Women and Ana Monro have not only helped to shape and professionalise the  contemporary art landscape in Slovenia over decades, they have also become renowned internationally for their highquality artistic work as well as their active engagement on a European culture political level.

Slovenian contemporary artists and art structures have become powerful players in the European contemporary art landscape, bringing forward internationally acclaimed talents and representing Slovenia with a confident, vibrant and reflective arts scene. We are aware that a great majority of contemporary art practices are realised in the independent, nongovernmental and nonprofit part of the scene. The work of these organisations and individual artists are of immense value and meaning for the international art scene, and a sign of a developed and democratically framed society.

Those drastic cuts, paired with an absence of dialogue with the players from the scene, cause irreversible damage to this vibrant and internationally highly recognised scene, discrediting its achievements and endangering any further development. We see no reason why these organisations with such high artistic reputations should lose their funding, as all of them are flagships of the Slovenian contemporary art scene.

We hereby express deep concerns related to the current events between the independent art scene and the Ministry of Culture. As colleagues and longterm partners of the artistic associations and  organisations in the independent scene, we are alarmed to mention this broad punch against Slovenian bestcase projects.

Therefore, we protest over the current situation and appeal for:

immediate and constant funding for the mentioned projects and organisations

restructuring of the decisionmaking processes and inclusion of the competent
professionals into the vital decisionmaking processes

enlargement of the budgets for arts and culture

reliable protection and continuous economic and political support from the Ministry
of Culture for the contemporary arts scene, the organisations, the Slovenian artists,
the Slovenian art professionals.

With commitment and support to the art scene in Slovenia, we send our best regards,

Ulrike Kuner (President of EAIPA)