This project will use artistic and cultural intervention into public space to point out some of the problems, scan the societal reaction to them and bring them to the attention of the decisionmakers as well as use the cultural and artistic field to showcase an inclusive and cultural policymaking on the local level.

Škofja Loka

How do you convince people that their town is truly their own to an extent that they are willing to point out a problem and be a part of finding a solution? Our main challenge is to make the people of Škofja Loka aware that their town is truly their own to the extent that they can influence the way it works and moves forward. We also see the problem in appointing that care to the elected officials every four years instead of engaging with the decision makers in various ways all the time. We believe there needs to be more education on that front, not as theoretical lectures but as practical engagement in the process.
We propose art and culture as the key element of achieving that change.

We will engage 2 main key target groups:
1. Artists, cultural producers and NGO’s in the field of culture will be the ones to produce at least 5 interventions into public space, addressing the societal challenges on the local level. About 40 individual and/or institutional actors in the field of culture will be the ones to participate in the process of the making of the cultural strategy.
2. Inhabitants of Škofja Loka are key to the success of the process we are proposing. Their opinions and reactions will be crucial. We expect to include people over at least 3 digital and analogue platforms.

The first part of the project engages 5 artists, artistic groups, cultural producers and associations in the field of culture to take up a challenge of picking up a problem in tle local area or community and make a publicly accessible piece of art or production that critically examines the problem and potentially points towards a solution. Public display will ensure everybody is able to interact with the artworks – either by commenting on site or online or interacting with the artwork itself, including vandalism or even destroying it. We plan to closely follow and analyse the feedback from the public in the form of media reporting, social media response, public wall on the project's web page and interaction with the art pieces themselves. The analysis will provide us with the information on topics people of Škofja Loka find important and therefore point the decisionmakers into action.
The second part of the project aims to bring together and connect all the individual artists, collectives, public bodies and NGOs to form a cultural strategy and a system of transparent and quality open call system to fund amateur and professional artists and producers. We plan to prepare a process involving as many individuals as possible as a process of learning by doing in a way that will be applicable to other fields as well.

- 5 analises of interventions into space, uncovering the needs and attitudes towards the social problems in the local area with the action plan to act on it
- a more colourful and engaging town with at least 5 pieces of art produced
- a least 2 young artists supported
-1 long term solution in the form of an updated and contemporary open call and/or a cultural strategy

The community involvement will be triggered by art in the public space. We believe it is an approach that more subtly and unexpectedly provokes a response to a topic in unexpected ways that would never be achieved through established tools. We will also make sure that the outcomes in the form of ideas and ways to solve the societal problems are realized in the future.
The cultural scene in Škofja Loka that includes the towns many inhabitants in various capacities will present an educational opportunity that will firstly steer and fund the field in a way that is up to date and transparent, and secondly teach everyone involved a new way of making a difference in the decisionmaking processes.

The team includes cultural producers, artists and activists motivated to shake up the town and change it for the better by making it more engaged in the planning of its future. The team consists of individuals who have lived in Škofja Loka throughout their youth, moved shortly to study in Ljubljana, and then came back with a fresh view of their hometown.
The objectives of the project fit perfectly in our organization's goals and the way we want to change the community

12.500 € - art pieces (5 x 2.500 – materials, fees, mentors)
15.000 € - employment (project management, open call execution, financial management, research and analysis, public relations)
6.000 € - PR materials, corporate identity, promotional videos, web page

Any idea ob how to improve the project is welcome. We are also interested in cooperating with other organizations on this or similar projects. Get in touch!