Janet Jackson, the sister of the late pop icon Michael Jackson, celebrated her 60th birthday. The American singer achieved her breakthrough at age 19 with the album "Control," which produced five singles that reached the top ten on the American music charts. Jackson became the most commercially successful of Michael Jackson's siblings, establishing herself as a major recording artist in her own right.
The Bratislava Region is organizing a cycling tourism event that will guide participants along traces of the former Iron Curtain in the Slovak Pomoravie area. The easy cycling route will showcase specific historical locations, authentic stories, and preserved remnants from the Cold War era. The educational tour combines recreational cycling with expert commentary about the region's history during the period when Czechoslovakia was separated from the West by the heavily fortified border known as the Iron Curtain.
The regional round of the 72nd Hviezdoslav Kubín competition took place from April 20-25, 2026, at Studio A2 of the New Regional Theater in Bratislava. The poetry recitation contest welcomed 140 talented performers from across the Bratislava region. The Hviezdoslav Kubín competition is Slovakia's premier national poetry recitation contest, named after Pavol Országh Hviezdoslav, one of the country's most celebrated poets. The regional competition serves as a qualifying round for the national finals, showcasing young artistic talent and promoting Slovak literary culture among students.
The Art Film International Film Festival has announced its jury panel for the short films competition at its 32nd edition, scheduled for June 19-25, 2026 in Košice. The three-member jury will include Polish film historian and cinema culture promoter Maciej Gil, Palestinian-Danish director Mohammed Almughanni from Gaza, and Slovak documentarian Barbora Sliepková, who has won the festival's main prize three times. The Art Film Festival is one of Slovakia's most prominent international film festivals, held annually in the country's second-largest city.
A new documentary titled "Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition" examines how the British heavy metal legends nearly collapsed under the weight of their own success. The film explores the unique bond between the band and their devoted fanbase, described as a blood connection that goes beyond typical artist-fan relationships. While many teenagers love their musical idols and later reminisce about them, Iron Maiden represents a different phenomenon where fans consider themselves bound to the band for life. The documentary chronicles both the band's rise to legendary status in the metal world and the intense relationship they maintain with their global following.
The Bratislava Region is organizing a cycling tourism event that will take participants along the traces of the Iron Curtain in the Slovak Pomoravie area. The guided tour will feature expert commentary as cyclists follow an easy route to discover specific locations, authentic stories, and preserved remnants of the former border fortifications that once divided communist Czechoslovakia from the West. The educational cycling event aims to highlight the historical significance of the Iron Curtain's path through this region of southwestern Slovakia.
Veteran Czech band Už jsme doma continues its extensive touring schedule despite four decades in the music industry, with frontman Miroslav Wanek announcing plans for a South American tour this fall and work on a tenth studio album. The experimental rock band has performed 3,500 concerts across nearly 50 countries during its 41-year career. The group will perform in Bratislava on May 16 at celebrations for the Pink Whale club, maintaining their active presence in the regional music scene despite their longevity in the industry.
The Košice region in eastern Slovakia will host its annual Night of Museums and Galleries event across two weekends, featuring concerts and exhibitions. The extended format will provide visitors with multiple opportunities to explore cultural institutions throughout the region. The event represents part of Slovakia's broader cultural calendar, encouraging public engagement with museums and galleries through special programming and extended hours.
A new conference called 'Mapping What Matters' has been launched in Slovakia to examine the intersection of graphic design and social activism. The conference explores how designers can use their skills to address issues that matter, with organizers emphasizing that activism means doing the best work you know how to do. The event focuses on examining what truly matters in contemporary graphic design practice and how visual communication can contribute to meaningful social change.
Lab Theatre will premiere its original puppet production 'Fungi' at 7:00 PM in Studio 1 of the Lab Theatre. The performance represents a new addition to the theatre's repertoire of original puppet works.
A compelling documentary film has been released about the legendary football match between Argentina and England, revisiting Diego Maradona's famous claim that "it's just a game" despite both nations knowing the deeper significance of the contest. The film explores the historic encounter that transcended sport, examining the political and cultural tensions that made the match far more meaningful than Maradona's dismissive words suggested.
Museums in Prešov and surrounding areas will offer free admission during a special Night of Museums event on Saturday. The cultural initiative will feature programming across three locations in the eastern Slovak region, allowing visitors to explore local heritage and exhibitions at no cost. The event is part of a broader European tradition where museums open their doors for extended evening hours to encourage public engagement with cultural institutions.
Chinese science fiction author Liu Cixin spoke about humanity's tendency to hide in the digital world during a recent appearance. Liu is best known for writing "The Three-Body Problem," the acclaimed science fiction novel that has been adapted into various media productions including the recent Netflix series of the same name.
Volunteers at the Church of St. Peter and Paul in Wolder, a quiet district of the Dutch city of Maastricht, have discovered skeletal remains they believe belong to Charles de Batz de Castelmore, better known as d'Artagnan. The 17th-century soldier served French King Louis XIV as commander of an elite group of musketeers and gained fame as the inspiration for Alexandre Dumas' fictional character in "The Three Musketeers." The discovery has generated unusual excitement in the normally quiet neighborhood as researchers work to verify the identity of the remains through historical records and archaeological analysis.
A Slovak translation of a novel by Palestinian author Adania Shibli has been published, examining how violence can become embedded in a state's identity. The work uses seemingly minor details to reflect the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict, offering Slovak readers insight into the complex realities of the Middle East situation through literary perspective.
A new relationship drama titled 'Pillion' has been released in Slovak cinemas, presenting audiences with a challenging narrative about romantic dynamics. The film explores themes of submission and attraction through the story of a character who becomes so dazzled by someone that they willingly subordinate themselves in all aspects of their relationship. The movie poses questions about the nature of love and unhealthy relationship patterns, offering Slovak viewers an opportunity to examine complex emotional territory through cinema.
LOM, a Slovak sound institution, celebrated its 15th anniversary. Jonáš Gruska, associated with the organization, discussed the sustainability of culture on the margins, emphasizing the importance of giving back to the cultural scene what it provides to artists and institutions.
Kurník, a Slovak feminist newsletter, has marked its tenth anniversary of publishing women's stories and experiences. The publication actively encourages women to contribute personal narratives, life insights, and experiences from daily life, welcoming both experienced and inexperienced writers. The newsletter's editorial team boldly invites potential contributors through their website and social media platforms with the call "Come write for Kurník!" According to founder Kučová, the publication occasionally receives offers from men wanting to "fix" their "chicken coop" - a reference to the newsletter's name, which means hen house in Slovak. The platform focuses on giving voice to women's perspectives and stories from all walks of life, including intimate experiences and secrets from women's inner lives.
The Piešťany Zábaly comedy festival will begin ticket sales on May 15, 2026, for its third edition scheduled for August 21-23, 2026, in the Slovak spa town of Piešťany. Following record demand that generated 107 theater performance proposals, organizers have assembled a program featuring 23 comedies starring some of Slovakia's most prominent actors, including Jozef Vajda, Zdena Studenka, Diana Mórová, Maroš Kramár, Marko Majeský, Zuzana Fialová, and Sväto Malachovský. The festival represents a major cultural event for Slovakia's theater scene, bringing together approximately 100 performers for what organizers describe as an unforgettable weekend of comedy performances. Tickets will be available through the festival's official website at www.piestanskezabaly.sk.
A prominent feminist artist has died at the age of 85, according to Slovak media reports. The artist gained early recognition for her provocative public performances involving partial nudity in public spaces, which challenged societal attitudes toward women's bodies and women's place in society. Her work was part of the broader feminist art movement that sought to confront traditional gender roles and social conventions through artistic expression.