speakers

Zora Jaurová

Zora Jaurová has been working as an independent theatre play director and critic since 1998, when she graduated from the Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts, Bratislava. She has experienced different types of theatrical projects (state theatres, independent work) as well as journalistic and research work in the field of theatre (she writes regularly for several newspapers and journals in Slovakia). She has worked extensively in the international context as a CEE consultant for foreign institutions (international film company, various international NGO's). Since 2003 she has been working in the Cultural Contact Point Slovakia (national agency of Culture 2000 / Culture (2007-2013) programme), in 2005 she has become a director of the office. From 2004 to2006 she was a nominated expert of Slovak Republic within the Cultural Affairs Committee in the Council of EU. She is active in various European cultural networks, being an executive board member and vice-president of Culture Action Europe (former EFAH, www.cultureactioneurope.org). Recently, she has founded the Institute for Cultural Policies - NGO platform for research, analysis and advocacy in the field of cultural policies. Since 2007 she has worked as a chief consultant for the city of Kosice in their bid for European Capital of Culture 2013. After Kosice won the competition in 2008, she was appointed the Artistic Director of the project Kosice - Interface 2013. (www.kosice2013.sk) She was also a member of the artistic board of International Theatre Festival Divadelna Nitra and a jury member of several national art competitions. A number of her translations of British and American theatre plays were published and staged in Slovak theatres.

East-Slovakian city called Kosice will hold the title of European Capital of Culture in 2013. Title of the project is Kosice - INTERFACE 2013 and it is based on the idea of the city as an interface between its users (citizens, visitors) and culture. The project, which understands culture and creativity as the main factor of urban development invites all the possible users to USE THE CITY and begin to transform their own environment in active and creative way. New era of Central and Eastern European Capitals of Culture faces many challenges - insufficient political and financial frameworks, low awareness of potential impact of the program, troublesome urban identities of the cities etc. But it can also bring new ideas about creativity, diversity and urban solutions of the 21st century. The case study of Kosice will be used to illustrate some of the contradictions CEE cities face in Europe today

Link:

www.kosice13.sk/index.php/en