On the importance of partnerships, cultural diplomacy, and long-term engagement in fostering the presence of Slovenian art in Austria
How does cooperation with Austrian partners work? How can one successfully promote Slovenian culture and art in a major world capital, where creators from all over the world compete for the attention of the audience and local cultural organisations? How much does "on-the-ground" promotion (and not just e-communication) contribute to success?
Since its establishment in 2011, the operating concept of SKICA Vienna (Slovenian Cultural and Information Centre) has been based on networking and close cooperation with local partners. As SKICA does not have its own event venues, every project is carried out in collaboration with local cultural institutions — whether they are galleries, music venues and theaters, or literary houses, cinemas, and museums. The basic prerequisites for establishing such partnerships are on one hand a good knowledge of the local cultural scene, its needs, and the programme orientations of individual institutions, as well as, of course, Slovenian cultural and artistic production — and, on the other hand, as strong an on-the-ground presence as possible.
My five years of experience leading SKICA Vienna show that regular attendance at cultural events and dialogue with heads of institutions, curators, and producers often open doors that electronic communication alone can rarely, or never, unlock. The latter is, of course, indispensable in today's digital age, but it cannot replace personal contact. Given SKICA's dependence on local partners for its programme implementation, establishing connections and building long-term partnerships are key to successfully achieving our goals.
Vienna is undoubtedly one of the world's most important cultural hubs, as reflected by both what it has to offer and, of course, the level of competition. Alongside numerous Austrian cultural institutions, it is home to a large number of foreign cultural institutes, each fighting for its own place in the spotlight, individually but often also jointly within the EUNIC (European Union National Institutes for Culture) cluster. Unlike us, the vast majority of these centers operate on their own premises, which gives them relatively greater freedom in shaping their programmes. On the other hand, many of them face the challenge of lower Austrian audience attendance, since their events are largely attended by their own compatriots.
While establishing partnerships and integrating Slovenian culture and art into programs of Austrian institutions is certainly more demanding, it makes our culture more visible and better embedded within the Austrian cultural landscape. An operational concept based on local partnerships has proven to be significantly more effective from both a financial and promotional standpoint — particularly when it comes to larger, well-established institutions and festivals. These organisations possess their own dedicated audiences and efficient PR channels through which they also promote our joint projects, significantly contributing to better event attendance what is one of our main goals. To highlight just a few of the partners with whom we have established excellent cooperation over the past years — Akkordeon Festival, Waves Vienna, Carinthian Summer, Wien Modern, Vienna Design Week, Buch Wien, Crossing Europe, Viennale, and many others.
For event promotion, we of course also use our own communication channels to target different audiences. While younger visitors are primarily targeted via Instagram, where we already have over 1,200 followers, Facebook and our monthly newsletter are geared toward the middle-aged and older generations. Despite the growing trend of social media usage, our website remains an indispensable part of our promotional package; it was thoroughly updated a little over a year ago and adapted to the modern needs of our users. For promoting larger projects, engaging professional PR agencies also makes sense, but such activities are extremely expensive, so we use them very rarely.
What are the advantages or distinctive aspects of Slovenian culture (or the broader Slovenian scene) that are of particular interest to Austrian cultural venues, galleries, festivals, and so on?
Austria is considered a traditional yet open artistic environment that perceives Slovenia as a cultural bridge between Central and Southeastern Europe. We are connected to it by a shared history, geographical proximity, and numerous cultural ties. Furthermore, the Slovenian cultural sphere extends deep into Austrian territory, where members of the Slovenian national minority live in Carinthia and Styria. For all these reasons, Slovenian art and culture are not unfamiliar to Austrians; many Slovenian artists have left an unforgettable mark here. They range from architects like Plečnik and Fabiani, composers Hugo Wolf and Josip Ipavec, and conductors Uroš Lajovic and Marko Letonja, to mezzo-sopranos Marjana Lipovšek and Bernarda Fink Inzko. Outstanding Slovenian musicians are members of some of Austria’s greatest orchestras and choirs, such as the Vienna Philharmonic and Symphony Orchestras and the Vienna State Opera. Writer Drago Jančar received Austria's highest state award for literature from the hands of the Austrian president.
A truly special, almost cult status is held by certain artistic collectives such as NSK, Laibach, or Stripburger; with their provocative and socially critical art, they frequently push the mental boundaries of the audience. Undeniably, the most recognizable Slovenian musical "export item" to Austria is the Avsenik Brothers Ensemble and, today, its successor, the Saša Avsenik Ensemble. A significant contribution to the visibility and recognition of Slovenian culture is also made by numerous Carinthian artists, including authors Florjan Lipuš, Peter Handke, and Maja Haderlap, painter and sculptor Valentin Oman, as well as Tanja Prušnik, who is the first-ever female president of the Austrian Association of Visual Artists.
These are certainly some of the best-known and most respected Slovenian artistic names in Austria. However, they are followed by a new generation of top-tier creators who captivate Austrian audiences, particularly in the fields of contemporary and jazz music, theater directing, visual and intermedia arts, and design. Many of them have already studied at local academies and share exceptionally strong bonds with this environment. Many others seek to present their work in Austria also due to the excellent references they can gain here, which can help open doors for them elsewhere abroad. There are plenty of opportunities, both in Vienna and in other federal states, where international guest appearances are usually less frequent and are therefore often even more appreciated than in the capital.
A unique feature of both SKICA centers is the cooperation between the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs. How does this cooperation work, and what advantages does it bring?
The project to establish the first SKICA, which began operating in Vienna in 2011, involved not only the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs but also the then Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology. The goal was to create the first center dedicated to promoting Slovenian art, culture, and science abroad—hence the name, which SKICA has retained to this day. After a little over a year, the latter ministry withdrew from the project, thus leaving the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs responsible for SKICA's operations ever since. The Ministry of Culture provides programme funding and is primarily responsible for the content and programming of the center, while the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs provides full logistical and diplomatic support. Formally, SKICA is in fact part of the embassy and has its official premises within it. The two ministries nominate the head of the center on a rotational basis, and both are also involved in the process of preparing the annual work programme, which defines the content framework of our activities.
Cooperation with both ministries takes place through established channels, whereby we aim to maximize the professional expertise of the cultural sector and the rich experience in cultural diplomacy held by our colleagues at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs. In international relations, cultural diplomacy represents a key part of soft power. Through cooperation, dialogue, and the appeal of its culture, a state can subtly strengthen its visibility and reputation worldwide. It often succeeds in resolving specific challenges that would otherwise be significantly more difficult to address using traditional diplomatic tools. The instrument of cultural diplomacy is especially useful and beneficial in relations with neighbouring countries. By implementing cross-border cultural and artistic projects, we foster closer connections and cooperation while building mutual trust. In Austria, this is especially important in regions home to members of the Slovenian national minority. Therefore, we strive to include as many projects as possible in our programme that are geographically or thematically linked to Austrian Carinthia and Styria.
How have your promotional channels developed over the past fifteen years? Is the path to the audience different today compared to when the SKICA Vienna was founded?
Over the past fifteen years, promotional channels have changed substantially. When SKICA was founded, main tools were web page and email notifications, printed materials coverage in traditional media but also personal contacts. Today, however, social media, digital platforms, online presentations, and various hybrid formats play an increasingly important role. While digital channels enable faster communication, greater reach and higher visibility, they primarily reach a younger population. The older generation, on the other hand, still relies primarily on traditional information channels. Yet, the foundation of any successful promotion remains high-quality content that genuinely engages visitors.
What have been SKICA Vienna's greatest achievements during the fifteen years of its existence? How has it evolved during this time? What is the vision for its development over the next one to two decades, and what does SKICA need in order to achieve its goals?
Certainly, SKICA Vienna's greatest achievement over this period is that it has become an established and trusted partner to Austrian cultural institutions, attracting even the most discerning Austrian audiences with its high-quality programming and diverse projects spanning the entire artistic spectrum. Today, when many Austrian institutions consider cooperating with Slovenian artists or cultural organisations, they often think of SKICA first and reach out to us. Such a reputation cannot be achieved overnight; it is forged over the long term through consistent work and quality projects. Of course, none of these projects would be possible without our outstanding artists and the entire cultural ecosystem. In Slovenia, SKICA is now recognized as the central support hub for Slovenian artists and cultural workers seeking to establish themselves in the Austrian cultural scene. landscape. In the past five years alone, we have carried out more than 300 projects, either independently or in cooperation with local partners, presenting more than 500 Slovenian artists across local stages, in exhibitions, cinemas, or various festivals. Many of them gained new international connections and promotional opportunities precisely through these appearances, which is an added value of such cooperation.
Worth highlighting is the exceptionally popular Artist in Residence program, under which twelve Slovenian artists have the opportunity each year to spend one month in Vienna. Residents are selected on the basis of a public call by the Ministry of Culture, which is usually published in spring for the following year. Residents make use of the residency in various ways, primarily for creative work, but of course also for networking and cooperation with local artists, building connections, and exploring the Viennese art scene.
The strategic vision for SKICA's future development lies in the hands of the competent ministries. I personally strongly support expanding the network of cultural centers beyond the existing two (i.e., Vienna and Berlin) into other European cultural hubs, similar to the networks maintained by many other European countries. I would, however, point out that every center, whether existing or new, needs to be provided with an adequate working environment and staffing, without which I cannot imagine SKICA's further development. In terms of staff numbers, SKICA Vienna is the smallest cultural center in Vienna; despite this, last year we still carried out more than 70 projects. The majority took place in Vienna, Styria and Carinthia, but in the future, we would like to present Slovenian art and culture more frequently in more distant regions (Tyrol, Vorarlberg), something our current modest staffing level unfortunately does not permit. We will also continue to strive to include artists from among the Slovenian national community in our center's activities to the greatest extent possible, and to cooperate with their cultural institutions, thereby contributing to the preservation of Slovenian cultural and linguistic identity in Austria.
Looking ahead, I would like SKICA to continue to be recognised as a platform that fosters connections and creates new opportunities for Slovenian artists.I envision it as a driving force that not only showcases outstanding Slovenian artists but also plays an even more active role in supporting and promoting the younger generation, while further strengthening and expending its network of partnerships with Austria's leading cultural institutions and festivals. To realise this vision, SKICA needs continuity, stable operating conditions, sustained institutional support and, above all, a shared understanding that the true impact of cultural diplomacy can only be measured over the long term. Ultimately, the success of the project is reflected in satisfied artists and, above all, inspired audiences. And every time we achieve that, we contribute to raise the international visibility of Slovenian artists and to reinforce the reputation of Slovenian art and culture abroad.
See also
- Slovenian Culture and Information Centre, Vienna (SKICA)
- SKICA Berlin, Slovenian Cultural Centre
- The Slovenian Cultural Centre in Berlin (SKICA Berlin): Bridging Cultural Diplomacy and International Connections
External links
- SKICA Vienna website
- SKICA Vienna - Facebook profile
- SKICA Vienna - Instagram profile
- SKICA Berlin website
About the article
The interview was prepared by Žiga Rus in June 2026 in the framework of the public procurement “Development and upgrade of information portals of the Ministry of Culture for the transition to the eKultura platform” in which Ljudmila Art and Science Laboratory collaborates with Motovila Institute.
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