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Description
The project reflects music, theatre, literature, and visual art experience tackling issues with minorities discrimination. Alongside with performances themselves project will focus on interactively approached discussions with participants on both sides (artists and audience). The project opens the interconnection of audiences and artists in performances to multiply and accelerate the both-way transition of experience connected with intolerance and extremist acts. Through the organization of planned cultural (and educational) events - with a special emphasis on discussions between participants / actors and the audience - the project seeks to raise awareness of the problems and difficulties faced by marginalized Roma groups. Project partners organize a series of events, e.g. workshops and concerts with Norwegian artists who will contribute not only through artistic expression, but also participate in a discussion with the audience on relevant exchange topics.
Summary of project results
One of the main issues the project addressed was the deep crisis of culture and creative business in Slovakia. The project aimed to improve the overall quality of the relationship between artists and society, in the cultural centre in Rožňava. One of solutions was to attractively present culture and arts to audience - to a large extent by uncovering the act of creative process and by engaging the public into the creative process. Another aim was to improve the dialogue of participants in creative events (viewers) and artists.
The project also responded to the multiethnic reality of town of Rožňava and its region (populated by Slovak, Hungarian and Roma people).
The project also dealt with the current issue of Covid-19 pandemic situation which uncovered a serious problem in communication among artists and recipients. Artists had been facing existential problems accompanied by misunderstanding of their role and function by a large part of Slovak society. The understanding of the importance of culture for physical health as well as mental health of the society was a key challenge for the project promoter and its partners – that is why it was deemed that one of effective ways to raise the quality of the relationship between artists and recipients was to interlink them in new ways alongside standard cultural events. Every particular activity was therefore focused apart from artistic performance itself on approaching the artists´ work and lives, so called taking a look “behind the curtain”.
The project included a series of cultural and educational activities such as concerts, public readings by authors, theatre performances, visual art exhibitions, and lectures. These activities were organized into four thematic "interventions" based on the type of art: literary, music, theatre, and visual arts. By hosting an extensive series of events, the project significantly enhanced the quality of cultural production at the cultural centre and strengthened the relationship between the audience and artists, as well as between the cultural centre and the local community. Additionally, it improved the conditions and performance quality of the project partners.
The main result of the project was an improvement in the quality of performances at the cultural centre, achieved through enhanced sound technology and the ability to organize more professional events, supported by the experience gained during the project. Additionally, the project fostered stronger cooperation with international partners.
Summary of bilateral results
The project included a series of collaborative bilateral activities organized with Project Partner 1 (Kulturfjøset Huser) and Project Partner 2 (Hausmania). These activities featured numerous concerts by Slovak and Norwegian artists, primarily held in Slovakia, as well as public readings, including a Norwegian author hosted in Slovakia. Additionally, theatre performances took place in both Slovakia and Norway, alongside exhibitions of visual arts and lectures delivered by Slovak and Norwegian speakers.In October 2023, the project hosted "Norwegian Days" at the KC Kláštor cultural centre in Rožňava, Slovakia. This event included a range of bilateral cultural activities, with performances by Norwegian artists in collaboration with Slovak artists. The fruitful bilateral cooperation established during the project, Rising with Culture, continued even after its completion. In September and October 2024, several members of Project Partner 1 participated in new initiatives with the organization, demonstrating the success of this partnership and paving the way for future collaborative projects.