Public Fund for Cultural Activities of the Republic of Slovenia

The Public Fund for Cultural Activities (JSKD) 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 with 100,000 members. 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 the municipal and state level.

In July 2021 the JSKD organises the grand choir music event Europa Cantat Festival 2021 Ljubljana.

Background

The Public Fund for Cultural Activities network was 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).

Residencies and the poetry centre

Set to foster international cooperation in arts, the Residence Centre Cankarjeva is used to host artists from abroad by offering them the space and infrastructure for living and working.

The Tomaž Šalamun Poetry Centre is simultaneously a library, a memorial room, a study facility and a multipurpose event space dedicated to poetry and literature.

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 grass-roots culture and art. It 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. Some JSKD programmes are also run in co-production with professional organisations (for example the Visuality Summer School, a project in which JSKD was involved up to 2012).

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 organised along with 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 the Winter School for Young Musicians or the Conducting School for Woodwind 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 Encounter of amateur and secondary school performing arts groups and (since 2006) at the Visions Festival of Young Theatre Groups.

JSKD awards

The JSKD bestows annual lifetime achievement awards to local cultural workers who have contributed to the cultural development. It also bestows 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.

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.

International cooperation

The JSKD encourages international cooperation between Slovene artistic societies and associations. It cooperates 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 the European Culture Cooperation (EcuCo), the European Network of the Voluntary and Amateur Arts (ENVAA), and the European Network for Active Participation in Cultural Activities (AMATEO).

External links

Gallery

Visual identity for the 28th Naša pesem Choir Competition in 2024. Author: Matjaž Mohor

The interior of the Tomaž Šalamun Poetry Centre, containing the late Šalamun's collection of books, 2016

One of the many bookshelfs at Tomaž Šalamun Poetry Centre, where a few thousand books collected by the late poet Tomaž Šalamun are being kept, 2017

Entrance to the premises of the Public Fund for Cultural Activities, where the Tomaž Šalamun Poetry Centre is situated, 2017

Women's chamber choir ČarniCe performing at the Naša pesem Choir Competition. Author: Janez Eržen