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EACEA National Policies Platform
Slovakia

Slovakia

8. Creativity and Culture

8.4 Promoting culture and cultural participation

Last update: 29 January 2024

Promoting culture  

  1. The Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic (hereinafter MK SR)contributes to better access of young people to culture through several systematic support-measures: 

  • an annual contribution to support visiting cultural events and activities, can be used to cover entry fee in theatres, galleries, museums, cultural centers or library, cultural courses and others. Cultural vouchers constitute a financial discount of the admission fees of the selected cultural institutions for primary and secondary schools. Both parties, schools and cultural institutions may apply for them by registering with the Cultural Vouchers subsidy programme. This programme was founded with the aim to increase the attendance rates of cultural institutions among pupils and students of primary and secondary schools and, at the same time, to make students regular visitors also in the future without the need to motivate them with these vouchers (the so-called demand-side incentives). 

Objectives: 

  • support of the relationship of youth to cultural values, 

  • creating conditions for the wider participation of cultural institutions in the education youth, 

  • review of the children and youth’s interests in culture and monitoring of cultural institutions’ visit rates for this age category and others. 

Target groups: 

  • primary and secondary school pupils 

  • primary and secondary school teachers 

In 2020, 2826 schools recieved cultural vouchers. In 2021, the Cultural Vouchers program was suspended, one of the reasons being the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and long-term restrictions on mass events. Currently, the aim is to improve the addressability and effectiveness of the program by monitoring and evaluating its objectives, in particular the interest of children and young people in culture, and by reducing operating costs and administrative burdens (Culture Spending Review, 2020). 

 

In 2020, MK SR granted the applications for funding in the field of non-formal education and research in the amount of 239 100 €.  

In 2021, MK SR offers grant aimed at reduction of the consequences of extraordinary events in the field of culture - COVID-19. Eligible applicants are non-governmental organizations.  

 

Some of the supported projects aimed at youth are: 

1. Veselý posunok (Happy Sign) - a cultural experience for deaf children in the Slovak sign language - 8 000 €, 

2. NOMANTINELS - Bringing queer culture closer to young people and adults - 7 000 €,  

3. IPčko - Contact Club - a safe place for young people with mental health problems - 8 000 €,  

4. Košice-Džungľa district - Colors of life: art creative workshops for Roma children and youth - 2 300 €. 

c) Free entry to cultural institutions also for marginalized groups (including youth, families with children and others)  

  1. KULT MINOR- Fund for the support of the culture of national minorities (including youth from minority background). 

The Fund for the Support of the Culture of National Minorities (hereinafter the “Fund”) is established by Act no. 138/2017 Coll. on the Fund for the Support of the Culture of National Minorities. 

The Fund: 

  • supports the development of cultural and educational activities in the field of intercultural dialogue and national minorities, 

  • supports theatrical, musical, dance, visual and audiovisual arts, 

  • supports the development of literary and publishing activities, 

  • preserves and protects the development of the identity and cultural values ​​of national minorities, 

  • supports the education and training in the field of the rights of national minorities, 

  • creates conditions for the development of intercultural dialogue and for better understanding between Slovak citizens the and citizens belonging to national minorities and ethnic groups, 

  • supports scientific activities in the field according to § 1 par. 1 of the Fund Act. 

In 2021, The Culture Fund provides grants or scholarships aimed at financing these activities: 

  • hobby artistic activity and leisure activities, 

  • non-professional art, 

  • educational projects, 

  • support for the upbringing and education of children and young people in the field of the rights of national minorities, 

  • support of adult education and training in the field of national minority rights, 

  • analytical, expert and publishing activities in the field of the rights of national minorities, 

  • research on the culture, way of life, history, language and identity of persons belonging to minorities 

  • foreign cultural activities and international cultural activities. 

Regions and municipalities 

  • ensure the development of culture and art in the region according to the relevant laws (on the general establishment, on the self-government of Upper-Tier territorial units) for all groups of the population, including the group of children and youth, 

  • regional conceptions of cultural development reflect the objectives of the The Strategy of the Development of Culture of Slovak Republic, for example Nitra Region

  • the topic promoting youth creativity and entrepreneurship is also included in the Conception of the Development of Youth Work in individual self-governing regions, for example  Prešov Region, cities and municipalities have their own strategy of development of culture, for example Košice city, the group of children and youth is explicitly included in various strategic objectives and measures 

There are no programs, policies, projects, or initiatives at national level in Slovakia that inform young people specifically about the possibilities of cultural activities. 

Young people can use national information portals for youth providing a variety of information: 

These are funded from the State budget of the Slovak Republic and EU funds. 

ICP (8.2.) offers information on culture and creativity. 

 

 

 

In 1993 Slovakia joined the “European Heritage Days” initiative of the Council of Europe and the European Commission. In 2010, the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic entrusted the role of coordinators to the Association of Historic Towns and Municipalities of Slovakia. In 2017, this commission was extended to the civic association ICOMOS Slovakia - National Committee of the International Council on Monuments and Sites. The theme of the 2021 event is 2021 “Inclusive Heritage” (“Heritage for Everyone”). 

ICP (8.2.) project MemoGym: Strengthening the European Memory - An educational project to strengthen historical memory in the spirit of European values, focusing in particular on the attractiveness of the way of communication with young audiences. An interactive exhibition of life-size puppets, representing six Slovak personalities who, by their lifelong attitude and work, have preserved and cultivated democratic European values ​​and orientation of (Czecho)slovakia towards advanced democratic European states.