Nebenan/Zblízka
Independent Art from Slovakia/Nezávislé umenie zo Slovenska
05. – 08.02.2025
In the “Nebenan” festival series, HELLERAU presents contemporary art from countries and regions where artists work under difficult political conditions. The fourth edition is dedicated to the independent performing arts scene in Slovakia, which has been upended since the parliamentary elections in October 2023. Left-wing populist Robert Fico became Prime Minister again in a three-party alliance and Martina Šimkovičová from the ultra-right Slovak National Party (SNS) was appointed Minister of Culture. She has made it clear that she wants to enforce a “national Slovakian culture”. She has already arbitrarily replaced the management and qualified staff of state cultural institutions, abolished the current funding system and is spreading hate speech and conspiracy theories against freelance artists and members of the LGBTQI+ community. Many artists are uncertain about their future.
“Nebenan/Zblízka” invites you to experience a varied program of performances, dance, lectures, installations, film, workshops and open studios of the lively Slovakian cultural landscape, to get into conversation at lectures and panel discussions on the current mood of upheaval and protest and to end the evenings with a concert and party.
With: Adam Dragun, Altalicious, Berlin Manson, Collective ooo, Dávid Koronczi & Co., Divadlo Štúdio tanca / Judith Sánchez Ruíz, Karol Filo & Co., Katja Dreyer & Peter Šavel, Kiki House of Velvet, Marková & Ruther, Miriam Budzáková, Open Studios with artists in residence in cooperation with Telocvičňa – Dance Residency Centre, Roman Škadra, threeiscompany & Jaro Viňarský, Yuri Korec & Co.
In cooperation with the Federal Agency for Civic Education, a broad discourse program consisting of panels, lectures and artist talks will take place.
Künstlerisches Programm: Carena Schlewitt und Saskia Ottis
Residenzprogramm: Janka Dold
Produktionsleitung: Dana Bondartschuk und Charlotte Keck
In cooperation with the Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung.
Funded by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media as part of the Alliance of International Production Houses.
The performance by Dávid Koronczi & Co. is sponsored by the Goethe-Institut Slovakia.
Slovakian Cultural Institutions & Artists under Pressure
Panel with Matej Drlička, Soňa Ferienčíková, Michal Hvorecký, Lucia Kašiarová, Roman Samotný
