STA, 20 January 2022 - Well-known Slovenian artists have urged President Borut Pahor, Prime Minister Janez Janša and Culture Minister Vasko Simoniti to provide assistance for young cultural workers so that they can survive in the current precarious situation.
The artists expressed their solidarity with their younger colleagues who are self-employed in the culture sector in a letter addressed to the three senior officials.
The letter was signed by musician Romana Kranjčan as well as more than ten other artists, including actor Boris Cavazza, clarinetist Boštjan Gombač, writer Boris A. Novak, composer and pianist Drago Ivanuša, singer Darja Švajger and singer Vlado Kreslin.
Young cultural workers whose work has been restricted due to Covid-19 should be provided with a basic income for the months of Covid restrictions in culture, they wrote.
"The situation we are witnessing is killing the creative spirit and means the death of the nation's cultural substance. [...] Dancers, musicians, actors are struggling to make ends meet," the letter reads.
The signatories also note that the young workers have not been eligible for any aid since mid-last year, even though they are practically unable to do their jobs.
"Public cultural life has died. The pandemic-related measures are discouraging organisers from organising events, as most of them are impossible to carry out and, if they are, the venues can be at most half-full.
"For other areas such as retail, transport, sport, the measures are much less restrictive," the letter adds, highlighting that the crisis could be overcome with more culture, not less.
Pahor confirmed on Twitter that he had received the letter. He assessed that the artists "justifiably address some structural issues that need to be tackled". He said he would discuss the matter with the prime minister shortly.
You can read the full letter, in Slovenian, here
