Rolling Protest Begins in Front of the Slovak National Gallery

The Open Culture Platform (Platforma otvorenej kultúry) announced its press conference on March 11, 2025, under the slogan “Art Will Not Stay Silent!”, behind the building of the Slovak National Gallery.

Originally, the press conference was planned to take place in the courtyard of the institution. However, during the day, Jaroslav Niňaj, the acting director of the gallery, prohibited public access to both the interior and exterior spaces of the gallery.

The public press conference and the subsequent protest were initiated by seven visual artists: Ivana Šáteková, Erik Šille, András Cséfalvay, Peter Barényi, Jaroslav Kyša, and Kristián Németh.

In their collective manifesto, the following key points were made:

1. The rolling protest is a symbol of resistance – The initiators feel that they have exhausted all opportunities for dialogue with decision-makers responsible for the current state of the cultural sector. Their repeated appeals – addressed to the leadership of the Slovak National Gallery, the Minister of Culture, the government, and the President of Slovakia – have remained unanswered.
2. Culture is not a political game – During the non-transparent selection process for the new director, the least qualified candidate was chosen. Furthermore, a conflict of interest exists, as one of the selection committee members has been a longtime business partner of the appointed director.
3. The leadership of the Ministry of Culture must step down – The protesters demand transparency in the director selection process and call for the resignation of Minister of Culture Martina Šimkovičová and Secretary Lukáš Machala.
4. The Slovak National Gallery is the memory and conscience of visual culture – The gallery must provide space for critical thinking, education, and professional dialogue, fostering interaction between the public and art. However, it must not become a tool for personal or political interests.
5. We demand a transparent selection process for the next director of the Slovak National Gallery – The Ministry of Culture is expected to engage in open dialogue with the professional community and ensure that the new leadership of the gallery is selected based on transparent and professional criteria.
6. Art will not stay silent – The artists will continue to actively participate in public discourse, fighting for transparency, professionalism, and respect for the arts. They firmly believe that culture is an inseparable part of both identity and the future.

The demonstration will take place in front of the Slovak National Gallery from March 12 to April 8, 2025, during the institution’s opening hours, until a new director is selected.