Petition for Continued Support of Ptuj Summer Festivals

The three summer festivals in Ptuj – Arsana, Days of Poetry and Wine, and Art Stays – are the high point of the summer in the city. Organizers have developed their festivals into internationally relevant events with outstanding content that attract tens of thousands of visitors to Ptuj and bring life to the old city centre.

However, for years the festivals have been held in an unstable environment with increasing standards and expectations. Without changes in financing, it will soon become impossible for the festivals to retain their current form.

The City Municipality of Ptuj co-finances all three festivals, but in spite of a significant broadening of the festivals’ scope and an increase in their quality, which the Municipality expressly wished for, funding for the festivals has not increased. However, the only way for the festivals to remain as they are or pursue further improvements is to provide them with stable funding appropriate to their quality.

We expect the City Municipality of Ptuj to keep its word and provide additional financing for 2016 as well as funds from the so-called sponsor pool, which was initially set up to finance not only Kurentovanje, but the three festivals as well.

In the following years, we want the Municipality to keep to the promises given this year and to evaluate the municipal support for all three summer festivals and provide the funds in a timely manner. At the moment, the City Municipality of Ptuj provides a 15 to 20% share of the festivals’ budget, far below the standards for comparably prominent non-profit events that serve the public interest and achieve high international recognition.

We call upon the City Municipality of Ptuj to increase its co-financing share for the 2017 and further editions of the festivals to at least 30% (taking into account all real labour costs that the Municipality had up to now discounted) and to establish conditions in which the festivals will be able to function.

We ask you for a signature of support in our efforts, not only ensuring the survival of Arsana, the Days of Poetry and Wine, and Art Stays but also helping Ptuj develop into a preeminent summer cultural destination.

 

Mladen Delin, Arsana  

Jernej Forbici, Art Stays  

Aleš Šteger, Days of Poetry and Wine