Presentation and Discussion within the Park of Culture and Sighs
Wednesday, 21 January 2026, 6:00 PM
Ján Koniarek Gallery in Trnava
Zelený kríčok 3
Concept, Presentation and Moderation:
Omar Mirza – Vice-President of the Slovak Section of AICA
Discussion Guests:
Michaela Mojžišová – Chair of the Slovak Section of AICT
Peter Megyeši – President of the Slovak Section of AICA
How many different jobs do people working in art criticism need to hold? How much time and energy does it take to write a critical text, and how is such work financially valued in our local context? What is the situation abroad?
During the evening, we will present the 2024 survey Labour Conditions in the Arts, initiated by the International Association of Art Critics (AICA), which involved 434 art critics from around the world. Together, we will discuss the often-overlooked precarious working conditions of theorists and critics of visual art, theatre, and related cultural professions.
The presentation and discussion are part of the Park of Culture and Sighs project. At its core, the Park of Culture and Sighs at the Ján Koniarek Gallery in Trnava is a mutable structure made of plastic crates filled with energy drinks—symbols of how we sustain constant productivity, fight fatigue, and deny our own limits and needs. The programme consists of regular events—performances, discussions, support groups, and workshops—prepared through an open call by members of the Cultural Unions.
The aim of the event series What Are the Conditions and Labour of …? is to name and reflect on working conditions across different fields of art and culture. Social and feminist movements have historically used so-called consciousness-raising groups as tools of collective emancipation and potential political mobilization. Sharing personal experiences can have a therapeutic effect, while also enabling a shift toward discussing practical tools and planning strategies to improve the working and social conditions of cultural workers.
Project Partner:
KON-RAD spol. s r.o.
