SONICA 2021

MoTA-Museum of Transitory Art has received a decision from the Ministry of Culture refusing to co-finance our programme for the period 2022-2025. Although MoTA’s activities over the past four years were considered by the Ministry to be surplus to requirements, the music commission withdrew its support for the programme, despite the fact that we had exceeded the threshold (we reached 83 points) for the programme to be co-financed.

Withdrawal of programme support will make its implementation very difficult. Some of our projects that might be affected are:

the SONICA Festival, the leading festival for contemporary electronic music in Slovenia,
the SONICA and SONICA Classics concert series,
the Sonica X concert series, which presents Slovenian artists at concert evenings abroad,
the Arcade Gallery, which commissions sound compositions from established and prominent Slovenian and international artists;

in other areas (the visual and intermedia art):

the new MoTA LAB gallery, where we have planned presentations by artists of the younger generation,
the projects of the Nonument Group, recipients of the Plečnik Medal,
the premiere of the award-winning Cyanometer project at the prestigious Museum of the History of Science in Geneva,
and many projects in development; and our involvement in the SHAPE platform and other new European projects, which are helping to bring Slovenian artists into the international space, are under threat.

The MoTA programme is distinctly multidisciplinary. We are not only active in the field of music but equally in all three areas for which we have developed a programme. Our programme is co-created by a number of top experts from the fields of music, intermedia and visual arts, and involves a large number of younger generation researchers and theorists. In addition, we are involved in numerous partnerships both in Slovenia and abroad, where we are committed to the realisation of ongoing projects, some post-productions in European capitals as well as outside Europe and, last but not least, cooperation with future European Capitals of Culture.

We congratulate all the successful producers who have managed to obtain or maintain funding: the work of each of these organisations enriches our cultural space, and the programmes of NGOs in the field of culture in Slovenia complement the work of institutions in a crucial way. However, it is very difficult for us to accept the refusal to co-finance our programme alongside some excellent organisations, such as Maska, City of Women, Gledališče Glej, Laibach, Carmina Slovenica, Emanat, Gala Hala, Ljudmila and others. The Ministry of Culture should recognise these organisations and find support for them, as they work long-term, and in a developmental and professional way. The Ministry’s programme support is crucial for them because it provides the foundation on which all these organisations build their programmes and complement the Ministry’s input with local, European and co-production funds. The loss of programme funding shrinks the diversity of the domestic arts ecosystem and jeopardises many productions, events or educational activities for domestic audiences.

Programme coordinators of MoTA, Nonument and Sonica: Luka T. Zagoričnik, Nika Grabar, Miloš Kosec, Gala Alica Ostan Ožbolt, Brandon Rosenbluth, Martin Bricelj Baraga, Neja Tomšič, Barbara Tomšič.

Below are some of the highlights of the new and past seasons.

︎︎︎Please send a letter of support here!

MoTA programme guidelines in music and sound arts:

Working with local musicians – commissioning compositions for the sound gallery and commissioning sound and audiovisual works by local-international artist duos for the SONICA festival.
Continuous work with public space at the intersection of sound, monuments and heritage
SONICA – the leading festival for contemporary electronic music and related arts
Sonica Series – showcasing local artists alongside established international artists.
Organisation of workshops and artist talks and the PSSST! Talks and workshops on the music business
Residencies by internationally renowned artists in collaboration with local artists
Presentation of Slovenian artists abroad (Sonica X series)
Creation of twonew pavilions for contemporary audiovisual and sound art

MoTA Guidelines in the field of intermedia, heritage, public spaces and architecture:

Innovative intermedia approaches to heritage, revitalising spaces and engaging communities
The work of the Nonument Group (artistic actions, research, symposia, publications, etc.)
TESLA – Award for transdisciplinary and exploratory young artists
Regular symposia NONUMENT! and workshops on degraded public spaces
Award-winning projects abroad (Cyanometer, Moonolith, McKeldin Fountain,… )
Permanent installations of sculptures in Slovenia and in foreign capitals (Cyanometer in Ljubljana and Wrocław, Solocular in St. Petersburg)
Development of new productions at the intersection of art, science and technology in relation to the environment
ArtistTalk portal – a series of conversations and an online portal of ideas and knowledge

MoTA Major Partnerships:

Partnerships with many NGOs, festivals and public institutions in our country
Partnerships with some of the leading cultural institutions in Slovenia and Europe – ECOC + MFA, MOP, (City Museum + MSUM, Cankarjev Dom, KinoŠiška) and cooperation with embassies
Cooperation with Slovenian cities: Nova Gorica, Koper, Maribor, Novo Mesto, Kamnik
Cooperation with European Capitals of Culture: Chemnitz, Nova Gorica, Žilina, Trenčín
European network SHAPE, linking 16 leading European festivals
NEMO – Network of European Museums
ICAS – International Cities of Advanced Sound
Leadership of successful international projects co-funded by EACEA (MAPS, ArtistTalk.eu, TRIBE) and partnership in international projects (Artecitya, ALIPI, GALA, SHAPE)