Description
The decentralization of public administration has moved many competencies from the state to self-governing cities and regions. However, in the cultural domain no substantial reforms have taken place since. The city of Bratislava and the Bratislava Region are still missing strategies for cultural development based on current needs. An absence of substantial support of civic activities and infrastructures, despite their key contribution to the cultural life, threatens the survival of creative sector. Project is a follow-up to existing initiatives of A4 and other NGOs. A series of bottom-up activities (roundtables, discussions, seminars, conferences, website, exhibition, analysis and networking of independent operators) in partnership with the municipality aims to initiate implementation of new tools in cultural policies of the city and region, framed by current discourse about creative economies. These should lead to the creation and implementation of necessary tools for cultural policy.
Summary of project results
The project was essential as it initiated, up to now, absenting discourse on the perception on the local level and funding of culture, more precisely its diverse partakers. Cultural subjects and organizations, which were established on the bottom-up principle and are not yet a part of any cultural organization managed by city/region/state and in spite of that they create an essential offer, were identified within the project and managed to make systematic contacts/cooperation with the representatives of administration on different levels and they also managed to initiate and influence participative modern cultural policy making. The institutionalization of a non-formal platform of KU.BA which was created due to the networking of approximately 50 independent organizational and 25 individuals will secure sustainability of the project and is one of the crucial outcomes of the project. On the meeting in March 2016, the members of the platform consensually decided to continue and establish the joint citizens’ association which will remain a respected partner of public institutions, an advocate of the interests of independent culture and at the same time it will offer services related to the capacity development to its members. The goal of the project was to increase the participation of NGOs in the policy making and decision making processes on the local and regional levels. The goal was reached through establishing of coordinated platform of KU.BA which became a partner of BKS in the processes of creating a new regional cultural concept and on the level of Bratislava magistrate, the platform initiated the decision of the magistrate to create a new cultural concept involving all the relevant part-takers. The target group of NGOs was intensely involved in the project through establishing the platform of KU.BA and its activities, the target group of public institutions through workshops, round table discussions, negotiations, participation on public discussions and conferences. The main contribution of the project is the systemic change on the level of BKS (concept of the cultural development and additional scheme), and the start of a process of cultural policy making on the magistrate and the functional networking of cultural NGOs.
Summary of bilateral results