Minister for Culture Vrečko on Strategic Goals in the Field of Culture

Warsaw – The Slovenian Minister of Culture Asta Vrečko highlighted a series of systemic changes that Slovenia is implementing for better conditions for young artists and cultural workers at an informal meeting of EU culture ministers held in Warsaw on Monday and Tuesday. This is also one of the key areas of Slovenia’s National Program for Culture and the new EU strategic document in the field of culture, the cultural compass.

Among the topics of the meeting was the protection of cultural heritage from natural and other disasters caused by humans. Vrečko presented Slovenia’s experiences following the worst natural disaster in Slovenia’s history, which in August 2023 affected numerous cultural sites listed in the register of immovable cultural heritage, which includes approximately 30,400 units. According to her, the measures were based on cooperation with civil protection, professional institutions, and local communities.

In the discussion on the future strategic direction of European cultural policy, the cultural compass, the Slovenian Minister of Culture emphasized the importance of three key areas that are also highlighted in the Slovenian National Program for Culture 2024-2031 adopted in 2024: improving working conditions and the social status of cultural workers, the sustainability orientation of cultural policies, and the greater role of culture in the EU’s external relations.

In the context of the discussion on improving conditions for young artists, Vrečko emphasized as a starting point that art is work that must be fairly compensated, and therefore the ministry is striving to introduce various measures. “It is important that we collaborate in shaping common European solutions and seeking new European financial mechanisms for the cultural and creative sectors,” she said. (April 8)