Since Robert Fico’s coalition government took power three years ago, the ministry of culture has launched a full-frontal assault on independent culture. Led by Martina Šimkovičová, the ministry is pursuing an ideological crusade against what it characterizes as "progressive" or "liberal" culture, threatening to sideline brilliant artists and bankrupt unique institutions. It is an approach to governing defined by revenge rather than creation: if you can’t build, destroy.
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Yet the Slovak cultural scene is not going down without a fight.
In this episode, we sit down in Bratislava with two spokespersons for the grassroots
Open Culture! Platform (Otvorená kultúra)—architectural historian Henrieta Moravčíková and filmmaker Adam Straka—and travel to three independent cultural venues in different corners of Slovakia to better understand the assault on culture, what lies behind the government’s hostility, and whether independent culture will survive.
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Episode breakdown:- Intro: Setting the stage
- Segment 1: What is the government doing to culture? with Henrieta Moravčíková and Adam Straka in Bratislava
- Interlude 1: A visit to Tabačka in Košice, with Peter Radkoff, founder and artistic director
- Segment 2: How previous regimes shaped Slovak culture: Hungarian rule, the First Republic, and the Communist era
- Segment 3: Why are they doing it? Demonizing so-called cultural elites and culture wars over culture
- Interlude 2: A visit to Citadela in Rimavská Sobota, with Tomáš Bálint, founder and director
- Segment 4: What happens next and will independent culture survive?
- Interlude 3: A visit to Hájovňa in Banská Štiavnica, with Matej Lacko and Ján Viazanička, co-founders
- Outro: "Culture must be open and nothing else," and a message of defiance from Folk&Bass Orchestra
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Episode soundtrack: Lastovienka by
Folk&Bass Orchestra and
Štefan Štec, a track integrating modern electronic music with traditional folk that refutes the claim that culture should be Slovak and nothing else. The melody originates from ethnic Slovaks in Vojvodina, Serbia, and is dedicated to the 16 victims of the Novi Sad train station collapse. Special thanks to the artists for contributing their music and a statement prepared especially for listeners of the podcast.
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As always, you can reach me with questions, comments or just to say "ahoj" by emailing
jeff@centraleuropematters.eu. If you send me a question related to the season by Friday, October 2nd, I will try to answer it in next week's bonus episode.
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This episode was mastered and produced by Dávid Pál. It was written, hosted, and executive produced by me, Jeff Lugowe.
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If you like what I'm doing, please subscribe and consider leaving a review wherever you listen to podcasts.
Please consider donating to the ongoing campaign
Culture Needs Space (Kultúra potrebuje priestor) which aims to support independent cultural venues whose existence is threatened by the government's policies.
What is Central Europe Matters?
Welcome to a brand-new, narrative podcast about society, politics and democracy in the heart of Europe. Meet local activists, experts, journalists, artists and others struggling to make sense of what's happening in their countries and of the turbulent times we live in. Between democratic backsliding, far-right populism, the ongoing legacy of 20th century experiments in totalitarianism, and a strategically vital location on the doorstep of Russia and Ukraine, Central Europe is ground zero for the battle over the future of Europe.
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Host Jeff Lugowe draws on his academic study of the region at Brown and Harvard and his knowledge of Polish and Czech as he takes listeners on a journey around the big cities and forgotten corners of Central Europe.
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Season 1: Slovakia — Democracy under Attack launched August 12th. New episodes every Wednesday.
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Central Europe Matters is an independent, DIY narrative podcast hosted and started by Jeff and produced by Dávid Pál. It is generously supported by the EEA Civil Society Fund Slovakia.