ECA has sent the following letter to representatives for the Slovenian Government and the Municipality of Ljubljana on 21 February 2007.
Dear Sir/Madame
The European Council of Artists (ECA) representing professional artists’ associations in 25 European countries including Slovenia, is very concerned by the recent decision of the Slovenian government to dramatically reduce state cultural funding and by the parallel decision in the municipality of Ljubljana to remove its support for the independent arts sector, which has had disastrous results for the contemporary arts scene nationally and in particular in the capital city.
Over the past years the Slovenian contemporary arts scene has proven to be an important part of your country’s impressive contribution to the cultural life in the European Union. Slovenia did not only join and enrich the EU, but is also a signatory to the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, which will come into effect in March this year. The provisions of the convention include articles (7, 10, 11 etc) that call upon signatories “to create in their territory, an environment which encourages individuals and social groups to create, produce, disseminate, and have access to their own cultural expressions”, “to recognize the important contribution of artists, others involved in the creative process, cultural communities, and organizations that support their work, and their central role in nurturing the diversity of cultural expressions.”
ECA is the umbrella organization of artists’ organizations all over Europe and has contributed to the development and implementation of this important convention. The impressive contemporary arts scene in Ljubljana is an excellent example for a flourishing cultural diversity. With regard to the provisions of the UNESCO convention we support the struggle of our Slovenian colleagues who have been confronted with the devastating effects of budgetary rearrangements.
Yours sincerely
Ludwig Laher,
ECA president