Difference between revisions of "Public Fund for Cultural Activities of the Republic of Slovenia"

Revision as of 10:19, 25 March 2010

The Public Fund for Cultural Activities is a governmental institution covering all branches of youth and non-professional (amateur) culture and art: vocal and instrumental music, theatre and puppetry, folklore, film and video, literature, visual arts and dance.

JSKD has its headquarters in Ljubljana and 59 branch offices all over Slovenia, 10 of them functioning at an inter-regional level. This network seeks to foster public interest in culture and stimulate the development of Slovene youth and amateur art. It also investigates and connects non-institutional cultural activities all over the country and organises international, national and regional education programmes, presentations and reviews of culture and art created by 4,500 cultural associations. Together with local branches of the Union of Cultural Societies of Slovenia (ZKDS), JSKD’s branches function also as mediators between cultural associations and cultural policy at both municipal and state level.

Background

The Public Fund for Cultural Activities network has been established in Yugoslavia as the Union of the Cultural Organisations (Zveza kulturnih organizacij, ZKO) and is rooted in the 19th century when the local cultural organisations started to unite on the national level. Its legacy has been carried on by Union of Cultural Societies of Slovenia (ZKDS).

Programmes and activities

With its long-term activities and high-quality programmes JSKD has surpassed the notion of 'amateurism' and engages in the production, education and facilitation of grassroots culture and art. The fund prepares seminars for members of various professional societies as well as for enthusiasts who are interested in art and other creative processes. Festivals, competitions, seminars and workshops in different genres involve the participation of professional pedagogues, mentors and artists.

JSKD programmes in the field of film include film scriptwriting and editing courses and an annual film and video seminar-laboratory. In the field of visual arts, drawing, painting and pottery classes and art, sculpture and photography workshops take place annually. JSKD organises regular literary workshops, a literary summer school and a summer translation school that usually results in small publications. There is a festival of young literature called Urška and recently a competition for the best rock lyrics has been launched. In the field of folklore and vocal music inter-regional seminars for folklore tutors are organises plus choral seminars, meetings and workshops. Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring dance schools take place in several cities around Slovenia, the results being presented at the traditional Živa and Opus (Solo) festivals. In the field of music JSKD focuses on instrumental, choral, and historical music. It organises musical competitions and various educational programmes such as Winter School for Young Musicians or Conducting School for Woodwinds Orchestras. Regional and inter-regional theatre seminars and an annual Summer theatre school are quite popular and groups compete for awards at the annual Linhart's Meetings of amateur and secondary school performing arts groups and (since 2006) at the Visions Festival of Young Theatre Groups. Some JSKD programmes are run also in co-production with professional organisations (for example the Visuality Summer School).

JSKD awards

The Public Fund bestows annual awards to local cultural workers who have contributed to the cultural development. Neja Kos received the 2009 award for her lifetime achievement in the field of contemporary dance. She has established the informal dance training and supported the development of the independent contemporary dance scene in Slovenia as well as its professionalisation. Her endeavours have been linked to JSKD from 1977 to 2006. Recent lifetime achievement awards were bestowed to composer Jakob Jež (2008), ethnochoreographer Mirko Ramovš (2007), and actor and translator Alenka Bole Vrabec (2006).

JSKD bestows also numerous specific awards, among them the Matiček and Vizionar Awards.

Funding

In addition to its co-ordination and training activities in the field of culture, the Public Fund for Cultural Activities issues annual public calls for cultural projects in the field of youth and amateur cultural activities. The call is open to cultural societies, unions or groups seeking support for different cultural projects in various fields or disciplines, including Film and video, Music, Dance, Theatre and puppets, Folklore and ethnic culture, Visual Arts, Literature and Intermedia. Further annual calls are aimed at non-governmental institutions and local cultural agencies who possess or run facilities and need co-financing for urgent building works, venue maintenance and equipment purchases. Funding for these investments comes from the so-called ‘cultural euro’ budget, which was set up by the Ministry of Culture in 1998.

In 2009 modest support was granted to 766 cultural projects (out of 1,314 applications) produced by 423 associations. The JSKD branches in Ljubljana and Maribor issue an additional call for programmes and projects by non-governmental cultural societies active in Ljubljana and Maribor Urban Municipalities respectively. Projects and institutions are selected by expert committees.

Publishing

JSKD publishes some 60 publications (almanacs, books, catalogues) annually. Since 1978 it publishes Mentor Magazine dedicated to the emerging poets, writers and illustrators, stimulating them also via literary competitions. The Fund's online database Kreart.si of Slovene societies and associations facilitates their presence on Internet since 2005.

International cooperation

The Fund encourages international co-operation between Slovene artistic societies and associations. It co-operates closely with Slovene organisations, associations and clubs in other countries all over the world, as well as with similar European organisations. It is active in European Culture Cooperation (EcuCo), European Network of the Voluntary and Amateur Arts (ENVAA), and European Network for Active Participation in Cultural Activities (AMATEO).

External links

European Network of the Voluntary and Amateur Arts (ENVAA)
European Network for Active Participation in Cultural Activities (AMATEO)
Amateur arts in Slovenia, article by Vesna Čopič on Compendium of Cultural Policies

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Difference between revisions of "Public Fund for Cultural Activities of the Republic of Slovenia"

Revision as of 10:19, 25 March 2010

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