Cultural Directory of Slovakia

Since 1954 SIBMAS has been the forum for colleagues from all over the world promoting research, practical and theoretical, in the documentation of the performing arts. Besides the organisation of biennial international congresses, SIBMAS members are involved in three permanent projects: a directory of theatre museums and libraries accessible online since 2002, the International Bibliography of Theatre (IBT), published by the Theatre Research Data Centre at Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, and the World Encyclopaedia of Contemporary Theatre (6 volumes, 1994-2000).

Founded in Edinburgh on 30 September 1927 during the International Congress of Libraries (the 50th Anniversary Conference of the British Library Association), the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) was established initially as a small association of mainly national library associations and academic libraries. The Federation was one of the first international non-profit, non-governmental organisations aiming to further the cause of librarianship.

The European Bureau of Library, Information and Documentation Associations (EBLIDA) is an independent umbrella association of national library, information, documentation and archive associations and institutions in Europe. Its secretariat is hosted by the Netherlands Public Library Association in The Hague.

EURBICA operates under the Constitution of the European Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives adopted at its inaugural conference in Florence in 2001. For the time being the presidency of EURBICA is located at the Direction des Archives de France. EURBICA was established to further the aims of ICA and to strengthen co-operation within Europe. EURBICA is responsible for carrying out the policy and programmes of ICA in this region, where these are relevant to EURBICA members.

After more than 60 years of experience in the field of the moving image heritage preservation, FIAF has grown up to become the most important network of leading specialised archive institutions around the world.

Part of the Slovak Syndicate of Journalists (SSJ), the Film Journalists Club co-ordinates film activities and publishes them in a monthly bulletin called Information. The most important activity of the Film Journalists Club is the announcement the Slovak Film Critics Awards.

Founded in 1993 and based at the Theatre Institute, the Slovak Centre of the ITI provides information and helps foreign guests to make contact with Slovak theatre institutions such as theatres, schools, festivals and associations. It offers general information on Slovak theatre, especially on history, current repertory, festivals, and programming. The Centre can be also helpful in contacting theatres which offer tickets at reduced prizes.

Relaunched in 1999, JMI Slovakia aims to help young musicians develop their musical and artistic lives. It has renewed its chamber orchestra activities and is preparing symphonic orchestra activities. Chamber orchestra benefit concerts with Slovak and foreign soloists and conductors are organised regularly. JMI Slovakia continues to organise concerts in elementary music schools in Slovakia with the Slovak Philharmonic.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity. This is embodied in an international treaty called the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by UNESCO in 1972. What makes the concept of World Heritage exceptional is its universal application.

The FOTOFO Foundation is the parent body of the Central European House of Photography, which promotes contemporary photography from Central and Eastern Europe.

Launched in 1977 by the Faculty of Theatre of the Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts (VŠMU), Project Istropolitana is a biennial international festival of theatre schools which has attracted support from many Slovak and international institutions and has gained a huge international reputation.

The International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC) was founded in 1926 and is a non-governmental, non-profit organisation. Its headquarters are in Paris, with regional offices in Budapest, Buenos Aires and Singapore. It works towards increased recognition and protection of creators' rights.In June 2006 CISAC numbered 217 authors' societies from 114 countries and indirectly represented more than 2.5 million creators within all the artistic repertoires: music, drama, literature, audio-visual works, graphic and visual arts.

Established in 1998, the Slovak Performing and Mechanical Rights Society (SOZA) is a legal entity, a not-for-profit civic association founded pursuant to Act No 83/1990 Coll. It represents a common interest based self-government of authors and publishers of musical works who as property right holders administer and pursue the property interests of the society as a whole via their elected bodies.

Established in December 1990 in the form of an EEIG (European Economic Interest Grouping), GESAC groups 34 of the largest authors' societies in the European Union, Norway and Switzerland. As such, it represents nearly 500.000 authors or their successors in title in the area of music, graphic and plastic arts, literary and dramatic works, and audiovisual as well as music publishers.

The Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra was established in 1929 as the first professional musical ensemble serving the needs of radio broadcasting.

The Cabinet of the Minister is responsible for (i) preparing the Minister´s plan of work; (ii) co-ordinating the Minister´s contact with the Office of the President, the National Council and its bodies, the Government and its advisory bodies and other central state administration bodies; (iii) preparing the programmes for visits by domestic and foreign ministers; (iv) preparing the Minister´s timetable; (v) organising visits by the Minister; (vi) handling the personal correspondence of the Minister; and (vii) organising cultural and social events for the Minister,

The Section of Cultural Heritage of Ministry of Culture of Slovak Republic, within the scope of its activity, provides for the protection, renovation, restoration, use and presentation of cultural heritage, especially within the following fields: heritage protection; museum and gallery collections; library collections; traditional folk culture; and observatories.

The Directorate General of Economics is responsible for arranging central public procedures in relation to culture, and for arranging central public acquisition of contracts for the delivery of goods, services and works for the realisation of projects financed from EU structural funds.

Slovak Central Observatory in Hurbanovo is a national methodological center of Slovak Republic to observatories and planetariums, which is governed by statute issued by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Slovak Republic. The Slovak Central Observatory performs specialized professional, observational, cultural, educational, scientific, research, informational, documentary and editorial work in the astronomical field.

ENCATC is the European network of institutions and professionals involved in training and education in the broad field of cultural management. Founded in 1992 in Poland, this independent and unique network gathers 127 members (85 full members, 39 associate members and three individual members) and operates through 38 countries.

Banská Bystrica Music Days was established in 1994 with the aim of making the State Opera in Banská Bystrica known as a central institution of Central Slovak music life. Originally the festival was conceived as an opera festival (Banská Bystrica Opera Days), however after the third year it was altered into Banská Bystrica Music Days. The opening event of the festival is usually a premiere of an opera work. In addition to musical-dramatic works it also presents a wide range of music genres and music groups. The festival is held annually in October.

One of Bratislava’s most important cultural buildings, the Reduta was originally built in 1773 as a granary. It was purchased by the city in 1901 to be turned into a ‘palace of culture’. The original design called for an imitation of the Vienna Reduta, but an alternative plan was developed, and construction finally began in 1911. From 1913-1919 its facade was renovated to replicate a mixture of neo-Baroque, Rococo, and Art Nouveau styles, in an apparent attempt to evoke the period of Empress Maria Theresa.

Established in 1959, Puppet Theatre Košice was the fourth professional puppet company in Slovakia. Originally accommodated on Roosevelt street, it was relocated in 2000 to its own building on Alžbetina street.Since its inception the company has produced more than 170 stage plays and today it is still the only professional puppet theatre in eastern Slovakia. Over the decades its audience has grown to more than one and half million, some of whom are now grandparents who attend with their grandchildren.

Attractive Theatre Days is four-day annual international festival of theatre, which also showcases other forms of alternative art.

This annual theatre festival of the V4 countries was founded in 1999 by Nitra Old Theatre and focuses particularly on puppet and alternative theatre.

The Association of Slovak Theatre Professionals is the largest professional association in the field of stagecraft in Slovakia. The Association protects the professional, creative and social interests of its members and the entire theatre community and to this end is involved in the creation of legislative and economic conditions for their work. It also organises cultural events, international festivals, workshops, information exchanges and co-operative projects with foreign organisations.

The Contemporary Opera Association was founded in 2000 to address the lack of an agency which could manage contemporary opera. In 2000-2001 the association introduced four Slovak opera premieres - Smrť v kuchyni by Ľubomír Burgr, Údel by Burlas Martin, John King by Daniel Mathias and Posledný Let by Mark Piacek. These premieres enjoyed great success.

The Jozef Kroner Awards have been bestowed annually since 2001 by the Jozef Kroner Foundation in conjunction with the National Centre of Culture and the Kysuce Culture Foundation. Since 2006 they have also been presented in co-operation with Enel Slovenské Elektrárne. The awards are presented in two categories: for lasting contribution to the world of theatre (lifelong work) and for the most remarkable achievement in the area of theatre, film, television, radio or the art of dubbing.

Divadlo v medzičase (Theatre in Midtime) is a quarterly review of current Slovak and world theatre. The ambition of the team is to capture all major manifestations of Slovak theatrical life, with particular emphasis on the international context. Divadlo v medzičase has a network of foreign reporters, so that readers can also learn about about Czech, Hungarian and Austrian theatre.

Founded in 2003 by Contemporary Opera Association, Contemporary Dance Association, Bratislava, Atrakt Art - Association for Contemporary Art and Culture, Bratislava and the former Media Lab burundi, A4 - zero space (A4 - nultý priestor) is a multifu

Malacky Tourist Information Office provides information on what’s on, what to see and where to stay, sells tickets for many major events, offers an accommodation and tour booking service and sells maps, books and a range of souvenirs.

Modra Municipal Information Centre aims to provide the most appealing information about the tourist attractions that the town and its region have to offer.It provides a range of free information services on the region and its tourist possibilities, including cultural events, sport and leisure, and sells maps, publications about the region and about Slovakia, souvenirs, gifts and postcards.

The primary objectives of Senec Tourism Administration Office are: (i) modernisation and development of tourism services in the wider territorial area; (ii) provision of both free and chargeable services under authority of the Tourism Administration Statute; and (iii) administration and development of the Senec Sunny Lakes recreational premises.

Banská Štiavnica Tourist Information Centre provides information on what’s on, what to see and where to stay, sells tickets for many major events, offers an accommodation and tour booking service and sells maps, books and a range of souvenirs.

Info Donovaly provides information on what’s on, what to see and where to stay, sells tickets for many major events, offers an accommodation and tour booking service and sells maps, books and a range of souvenirs.

Lučenec Municipal Information Centre provides information on what’s on, what to see and where to stay, sells tickets for many major events, offers an accommodation and tour booking service and sells maps, books and a range of souvenirs.

Rimavská Sobota Tourist Information Centre offers a comprehensive range of high-quality touristic and information services for the town and the wider region with the aim of improving the utilisation of existing tourism facilities and increasing the number of tourists visiting the town, facilitating access to tourist activities and attractions, cultural and sports facilities and less accessible locations in the town and the region in order to make them known both throughout Slovakia and abroad.

The main objective of the Zvolen Municipal Information Centre is collecting, updating and providing information to visitors, tourists and inhabitants free of charge.

Run by PANGEA s r o, Košice Tourist Information Centre (MiC Košice) comprises three outlets in Košice city - MiC Košice Autobusová stanica (Bus Station), MiC Košice OD Dargov (DARGOV Mall) and MiC Košice OD Tesco (Tesco)

Rožňava Tourist Information Centre aims to provide a range of tourism and information services focusing on natural and cultural-historical attractions, including accommodation and catering establishments, transport connections, local tourism and cultural services, forthcoming cultural and sporting events, institutions and businesses.

Komárno Tourist Information Centre provides information on what’s on, what to see and where to stay, sells tickets for many major events, offers an accommodation and tour booking service and sells maps, books and a range of souvenirs.

The primary objective of Levice Information Agency is the provision ofinformation for both local residents and tourists. It provides information about local culture, history and tourism as well as details of business operators in the region. It also sells information and promotional materials such as books, souvenirs and postcards and provides various services such as copying, telephone, fax and Internet use.

Bardejov Municipal Tourist Information Centre and Travel Agency provides information on what’s on, what to see and where to stay, sells tickets for many major events, offers an accommodation and tour booking service and sells maps, books and a range of souvenirs.

Levoča Municipal Information Centre provides a comprehensive range of tourist and information services to both visitors and locals. It offers information on tourist attractions, forthcoming events, transportation, accommodation and eating out, free of charge in person, by phone, by fax or by E-mail. It books accommodation, tours, car and bicycle rentals, guides and interpreters, provides information about business and local government services, and sells maps, books, postcards and souvenirs.