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Culture

Slovak Song 'Slza' Advances to World Semifinals in US Competition

A Slovak musician known as Bystrík has advanced to the world semifinals of an international music competition with his emotional song "Slza" (Tear), which features Slovak lyrics. The composition impressed a professional jury in the United States, demonstrating that music can transcend both geographical and linguistic boundaries. The achievement represents a notable success for Slovak music on the international stage, as the song competed against entries from around the world despite being performed in the Slovak language.

TASR/Teraz
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Culture

Israeli Bass Virtuoso Adam Ben Ezra to Perform with Slovak Quartet

Israeli double bass virtuoso Adam Ben Ezra will join the Ifjú Szivek String Quartet and cimbalom player Ľubomír Gašpar for a concert on Wednesday, March 25 at 7:00 PM. The performance will feature the Slovak ensemble alongside the internationally acclaimed Israeli musician, bringing together traditional Central European chamber music with contemporary bass artistry.

TASR/Teraz
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Culture

Slovak chefs comment on abuse allegations against Noma's head chef

René Redzepi, the head chef of Copenhagen's world-renowned Noma restaurant, faces a media scandal over allegations of workplace abuse involving physical violence against employees. The accusations include claims that Redzepi hit staff members and stabbed them with forks during kitchen operations. The controversy has drawn commentary from Slovak chefs, who are weighing in on the allegations against one of the culinary world's most celebrated figures. Noma, which has been ranked among the world's best restaurants and is known for pioneering New Nordic cuisine, now finds its reputation under scrutiny amid the abuse claims against its leadership.

SME
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Culture

Slovak Culture Ministry Cuts Multi-Year Grants, Affecting Dozens of Festivals and Cultural Centers

Slovakia's Fund for the Support of Arts (FPU) has cancelled multi-year grants affecting nearly 40 festivals, magazines, and cultural centers across the country. The decision by ministry nominees on the fund's board will strip funding from ongoing projects and institutions with long-standing traditions, including major events like the White Night festival, Kremnica Comedy Festival, and the Dotyky a spojenia festival in Martin, as well as children's magazines Včielka and Šikovníček, and cultural venues such as the Stanica-Záriečie center in Žilina and the Tabačka cultural center in Košice. The Fund for the Support of Arts operates under Slovakia's Culture Ministry and distributes state funding to cultural projects and institutions. The cancellation of these multi-year grants represents a significant shift in cultural funding policy, as these arrangements typically provide financial stability for recurring events and long-term cultural programming. Cultural figures have condemned the decision as inappropriate and have suggested the matter should be subject to criminal complaints, reflecting broader tensions over cultural policy under the current government.

Dennik N
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Culture

American Actor Chuck Norris Dies at Age 86

American actor Chuck Norris has died at the age of 86. Just days before his death, the martial arts star and action film icon had said he was not aging but "advancing to a higher level." Norris became a cultural phenomenon through his action movies in the 1980s and 1990s, and later gained renewed fame through internet memes celebrating his fictional superhuman abilities.

SME
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Culture

Slovak Media Outlet Recommends Streaming Content Amid Global Political Tensions

A Slovak entertainment columnist recommended various streaming shows and films to help viewers cope with international political tensions. The recommendations included comedies and moral dramas as alternatives to news coverage about Trump and Putin. The article also featured Oscar trivia, noting that David Letterman is considered the worst Academy Awards host in history and discussing which 21st century Oscar-winning film is regarded as the best.

Dennik N
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Culture

Bardejov Unveils Two-Meter Easter Egg Installation with Mystery Contents

The eastern Slovak town of Bardejov has unveiled a two-meter tall decorated Easter egg as part of its seasonal celebrations. Local officials are maintaining suspense around what will emerge from the giant egg installation, promising to reveal the answer at the end of April. The oversized kraslica, a traditional Slovak decorated Easter egg, has become a focal point for the town's Easter festivities.

Korzár
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Culture

Archaeological Survey in Malina Castle Grounds Reveals First Evidence of Medieval Structure

Archaeological research in the historical park grounds at Malina has yielded significant discoveries confirming the existence of a medieval water castle. The finds emerged during current restoration work on the park, which is being carried out by the Bratislava regional government. The excavation represents the first concrete archaeological evidence of the medieval structure that historians believed once stood on the site. The discovery adds new historical significance to the Malina estate, located in the Bratislava region, and provides valuable insights into the area's medieval past.

Bratislavský kraj
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Culture

Young and Adult Reciters Compete in District Round of Slovakia's National Poetry Contest

Young and adult reciters gathered in Bratislava from February 23-25, 2025, for the district round of the 72nd annual Hviezdoslavov Kubín competition, Slovakia's national poetry and prose recitation contest. The event took place at V-Club in Bratislava and featured participants competing in artistic presentation of poetry and prose. The Hviezdoslavov Kubín competition is a prestigious nationwide contest that advances talented reciters through multiple rounds, celebrating Slovakia's literary tradition and performance arts among students and adults.

Bratislavský kraj
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Culture

Late Slovak Actor Vladislav Müller to Receive Milan Lasica Award Posthumously

Vladislav Müller, the iconic Slovak actor, will receive the Milan Lasica Award posthumously in Košice. The award ceremony will honor Müller's contributions to Slovak theater and film. The Milan Lasica Award, named after the late Slovak comedian, writer, and performer Milan Lasica, recognizes outstanding achievements in Slovak cultural arts. Müller was a prominent figure in Slovak entertainment, known for his work across multiple generations of Slovak theater and television.

Korzár
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Culture

Slovak Culture Ministry Official Defends Subsidy Cuts as Quality Improvement Measure

The head of Slovakia's Fund for the Support of Arts (FPÚ) has defended recent cuts to cultural subsidies, rejecting accusations that he is attacking the culture sector. Oľha justified the decision to eliminate certain funding as an effort to break institutional inertia and improve the quality of supported projects. The official denied that the subsidy reductions represent an assault on Slovak cultural institutions, framing them instead as necessary reforms to enhance standards in arts funding.

SME
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Culture

Košice Artist František Blažo Reflects on Life After Son's Death in Rare Interview

František Blažo, a 79-year-old graphic artist, illustrator and painter from Košice, gave a rare interview at his spacious studio on Košice's main pedestrian street. The elderly artist, who typically avoids such meetings, spoke candidly about how his son's death fundamentally changed his life and relationship with art. "After my son's death, I suddenly stopped living, everything ended for me, including art," Blažo said during the three-hour conversation. The interview provides insight into how personal tragedy has affected one of Slovakia's established visual artists, who has worked across multiple disciplines including graphics, illustration and painting.

Dennik N
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Culture

Slovak Theatre Institute faces dramatic budget cuts threatening operations

The Theatre Institute in Slovakia is facing its greatest threat in three decades after the Culture Ministry under Martina Šimkovičová dramatically reduced the institution's budget. The institute, which was planning to celebrate its 65th anniversary in April, must now cancel almost all of its key planned programs. Director Alžbeta Vakulová warned that the cuts threaten the institute's survival, with even planned publications of a monograph and exhibitions about actor Peter Dvorský at risk. The institute serves as a crucial cultural repository and research center for Slovak theatre history and documentation. The budget reduction comes as part of broader cultural policy changes under Šimkovičová, who was nominated by the Slovak National Party (SNS), a nationalist party that is part of the current ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Robert Fico's Smer-SD party.

Dennik N
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Culture

Arts Support Fund Now Actively Destroying Art, Says Former Director

Slovakia's Fund for the Support of Arts has shifted from supporting to actively destroying art, according to criticism from former director Piatoček. The fund, which is responsible for distributing state funding to cultural projects and artistic endeavors across Slovakia, has undergone changes that have drawn sharp criticism from arts community leaders. The accusation suggests a fundamental transformation in how the state institution approaches its mandate to foster and develop Slovak cultural life.

SME
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Culture

Slovak Artist Says Venice Biennale Representation Doesn't Preclude Criticism of Country's Political Direction

Slovak artist Kocka Jusko stated that representing Slovakia at the Venice Biennale does not exclude criticism of the country's political direction. The artist emphasized that art cannot exist without reflecting reality. Jusko's comments address the relationship between cultural representation and political critique, suggesting that artistic participation in prestigious international venues like the Venice Biennale, a major contemporary art exhibition, should not be seen as incompatible with expressing concerns about domestic political developments.

SME
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Culture

Martin Museum's Open-Air Heritage Site Faces Potential Irreversible Alterations During Restoration

Slovakia's Martin Museum has undertaken restoration work at its open-air heritage site that has replaced historic wooden roof structures with modern materials, raising concerns about the preservation of traditional building techniques. The project involves supervision by a stone restoration specialist overseeing wooden vernacular buildings, despite the apparent mismatch in expertise. Some of the interventions being carried out may prove irreversible, potentially compromising the historical authenticity of the heritage site. The Martin Museum operates one of Slovakia's most significant open-air museums, showcasing traditional Slovak rural architecture and folk culture through preserved and reconstructed historical buildings from various regions of the country.

Aktuality
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Culture

Bratislava Hosts 13th Visegrad Film Forum with International Cinema Professionals

The 13th annual Visegrad Film Forum concluded in Bratislava after a four-day program from March 11-14 featuring renowned international film professionals. The event provided film screenings, masterclasses, and discussions that offered insights into the global cinema industry for students, filmmakers, and the general public. The Visegrad Film Forum is an annual cultural event that brings together cinema professionals from the Visegrad Group countries - Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland, and Hungary - along with international guests to promote regional film cooperation and education in the industry.

Aktuality
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Culture

Historic Castle Garden in Modra Awakens After Revitalization

The ornamental garden at the castle in Modra is beginning to come to life following its recent revitalization. The historic garden once served as a retreat for high-ranking state official Arthur Polzer before later being used by a viticulture and horticulture school. The renewed garden represents the restoration of an important cultural heritage site in the Bratislava region.

Bratislavský kraj
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Culture

Revitalized Historic Garden at Modra Manor Awakens for Spring

The ornamental garden at the historic manor house in Modra is beginning to come to life following its recent revitalization. The garden once served as a retreat for high-ranking state official Arthur Polzer before later being used by a viticultural and horticultural school. Modra is a small town in western Slovakia known for its wine production and ceramic traditions, located in the Bratislava region about 30 kilometers northeast of the capital.

Bratislavský kraj
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Culture

Bratislava's Arena Theatre Launches New Contemporary Dance Program

Arena Theatre in Bratislava will systematically open its programming to contemporary dance starting January 2026, launching a new dramaturgical cycle called 'Dance in Arena.' The initiative aligns with the cultural development strategies of the Bratislava Self-Governing Region and represents a significant expansion of the theatre's artistic offerings to include modern dance performances alongside its traditional programming.

Bratislavský kraj
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