Last month, Slovenian capital Ljubljana has been hosting a diverse set of events.
ANA DESETNICA
In Ljubljana, Slovenia’s capital, each year in Spring and Summer, numerous festivals enter city’s venues and streets. Up until Autumn, the city that flourishes in various colours of creativity and arts welcomes musical festivals of several genres, street arts and theatre performances. However, this year, for well-known reasons, many of the festivals were moved to Autumn. One of them was Ana Desetnica. The street theatre festival that usually runs in early July was this year, for its 23rd edition, set in two parts. One part remained in early July, while the other part was moved to the time between the 17 and 20 September.
One of the most beloved festivals in Slovenia annually brings together street artists, clowns, circus performers, jugglers, tighrope walkers, fire-eaters, musicians, ‘provocateurs’, dancers and actors from Slovenia and abroad. Its urban art showcases contemporary trends in street theatre creativity. Ana Desetnica remarkebly complements the vibrancy of city life in Ljubljana with the vibrancy of the festival. This year there were 20 difference artists and artistic groups bringing joy to the streets, squares and to the people who who watched onto the performances from the coziness of their windows and balconies.
ŠIŠKA OPEN
On the same weekend, between 18th and 20th of September, Kino Šiška, the Centre for Urban Culture, was hosting its fourth Šiška Open festival that consists of urban activities and concerts. This year, due to the pandemic times, the activities were limited but there were still graffiti artists, urban dancers, DJs, workshops and concerts. All event organisation was following the instructions and guidelines of the National Institute for Public Health, including maintaining a safe distance, wearing masks and using hand sanitizer when entering the indoor venue. The square in front of the venue was this year divided into an unenclosed part for urban activities and an enclosed part that consisted of a concert-seating respecting the social distance rules. The number of visitors in the enclosed part was limited to 300.
Slovenian Advertising Festival – SOF
On 10th of September, the beautiful industrial Litostroj Hall adjacent to Slovenian heavy manufacturer Litostroj Steel Ltd, which produces water turbins for hydroelectric powerplants, was hosting the 29th Slovenian Advertising Festival (SOF). The central annual event of the advertising industry in Slovenia is annually organised by the Slovenian Advertising Chamber. The programme focuses on the current issues of the profession, thereby enabling an exchange of knowledge, experiences, ideas and views for the further development of the field. This year’s edition was marked with the fewer audiences, due to Corona, but with just as vivid and luxurious provision of workshops, screenings, lectures, and award ceremonies.
Conventa Crossover
And last but not least, the Conventa Crossover Conference, Festival of Events and Live Marketing, which was held already in late August, so not really an Autumn event, but should be mentioned in this omnibus as Crossover presents the only professional event that was held in Ljubljana during the Covid pandemic. Crossover, organised by Toleranca Marketing, was held in the beautiful setting of the Cankarjev dom’s Grand Reception Hall and its Council of Europe Park.
Kongres Magazine
