ART & CULTURE

Slovenia and Slovenes, we are proud of our rich culture. The first scents of settlement of Slovene territory go back to the past for 250,000 years. Several troops crossed the small land. All that interlacement of people, their fates and knowledge left the irreplaceable cultural heritage. The historic monument of the first Slovene state Carinthia from the 9th century is the Stone of a Prince at the Gospasveta Field (nowadays in Austria).

In Slovenia we meet with the influence of great cultures - Roman, Germanic, Slavic and a bit less Byzantine. Multi-culture of Slovenia and its search for the cultural and national identity through the centuries have given numerous cultural creations that reached the world top. If we mention only the most important ones:  translation of the Bible and the first Slovene grammar book in the 16th century, both commissioned by Primož Trubar, Slovene novels of Ivan Cankar, poetry of France Prešeren and Srečko Kosovel, prose of Slavko Grum, great impressionists and Ljubljana graphic school, the achievements of architect Plečnik, picturesque art nouveau streets in Ljubljana.

Modern cultural life earmark the Slovene Philharmony and especially topmost musical performers - the flute player Irena Grafenauer, the pianist Dubravka Tomšič and the mezzo-soprano Marjana Lipovšek, the Slovene National Theatre and numerous little theatres, which search new ways of cultural expression, a Slovene film and graphic and industrial modelling. Slovene traditional popular music has culminated with the accordion and the ensemble of Slavko Avsenik, the culmination of choir singing is the annual festival in Stična, the folklore group France Marolt has been singing and dancing all over the world... Contemporary musical and cultural expression of the youth earmark the Laibach group and Neue Slowenische Kunst.

Cultural life is very variegated and rich in museums, galleries and cultural centres. The main cultural house is Cankarjev dom in Ljubljana. Besides, mainly in summer season there are various top-level festivals going on throughout Slovenia - Ljubljana Summer Festival in Križanke, Brežice Festival of Early Music, Primorski Summer Festival, Imago Sloveniae (several cultural events), Vilenica award (central European award for exceptional achievements in the filed of poetry and prose) ...

LIST OF MAJOR EVENTS IN SLOVENIA 2007