Barmuseum
Cultural centre - Museum in Martin
Cultural centre Museum is a cultural–artistic and artistic–community centre of the town Martin. We are also well known as Barmuseum or simply Musko among our audience. We are the only artistically creatively and organizationally independent place in the town, which since 2004 has been offering the best Slovak and international art of music, theatre, literature, film as well as opportunities for informal education through art, open discussions on current social topics, discussions on contemporary art...
Program dramaturgy
1.MUSIC
We rely on long-term mapping of current trends, new groupings and projects, new waves on the current music scene, preferably the V4 countries, with guests (US,UK) enriched by long-lasting professional stars.
We present numerous musical genres but more and more we are opening ourselves to new connections and ceasing to engage in genre focusing – in harmony with development in contemporary art. Bands often change and new ones are created and we get up-to-date offer based on long-term contacts with musicians. Even the audience is developing, traveling abroad, being active in virtual world of art ... Tastes change, become more demanding and we like to react to that. We improve our audience as well as ourselves. These productions are destined for discerning viewers, but thanks to the unique place, sound and long-term focus, they are devotedly visited.
2. THEATRE
For adults:
Above all, we support creation and establishment of new creative teams on the scene and innovative extraordinary projects for artistically perceptive viewers. The productions connect the genres of classical, alternative, puppet, fine art and motion theatre.
For children:
We present adaptations of classic fairy tales as well as modern stories provided that certain sensitivity towards the topic and the child viewer is kept. Puppet variations of different shapes are often one of the dramaturgic production keystones of selected theatre groups – from traditional variations up to contemporary trends.
3. EDUCATIONAL EVENTS/ WORKSHOPS:
Still more and more organizers, artists, art and technical workers as well as teachers and students of art schools are interested in educational workshops in the field of art.From various kinds of acting skills through specific areas such as lighting and sound design to the topic of art management. Developing the concept of art education is a coherent part of our program dramaturgy.
4. COOPERATION WITH FOREIGN STUDENTS
We are creating a cultural background for Norwegian students and starting cooperation with Icelandic foreign students at the Faculty of Medicine in Martin. We co-operate in the creation of the program and try to make wider international cooperation by deepening relations with the Norwegian organization Ansa, beginning to communicate with Icelandic organization Fíls.Our program focuses on cinematography, music, literature and theatre as well as on international dialogue through the form of discussions.
5. DISCUSSION
Professionally presented public discussions aim to show viewers different perspectives on problems, but also on success and possible solutions to the life situations of people from different communities, such as Roma, homeless people (charities, campsites, experts, municipalities), national minorities. We also lead discussion about peripheral (new, un-established, controversial) artistic genres, or ecology (tourism, infrastructure, environment, forests, monuments). We name society-wide “things to be resolved“that concern us fundamentally.
6. LITERARY EVENINGS
The aim of literary evenings it to provide space to successful as well as starting authors who present their works. Literary evenings are divided into readers, discussions about works and their authors, beatnik evenings with music and classical discussions with authors.
7. BOOK EXCHANGE
Books exchange, swap, sale. In cooperation with the company Litera in Martin, new book releases are presented by us, too.
8. FILM LECTURES
Peter Konečný is a film critic and an editor-in-chief of the kinema.sk portal, who prepares lectures all around Slovakia involving various topics, recommending the best films and pointing at ballast at the same time.
And traditionally, for example, we implement Travel lectures called „Cestou necestou” in Martin, Creative hand-made stuff markets, Vinyl exchange in cooperation with collectors from all over Slovakia, etc.
In addition to these events, we also organize special projects in connection with the Czech art scene and the Czech national minority living in Slovakia:
1.Festival BARMUSEUMFEST
Focused on the music and theatre scene. We follow minority genres dramaturgically. As for our program, we focus on current trends in music production with overlaps into various genres, not commercial music. Relating to theatre, we prefer especially alternative works (authorial work, puppetry, motion theatre, poetry, overlaps with authorial music..), not classical drama performance.
Current situation and mood in society continues to confirm the sense of spreading the idea of tolerance tootherness, whether it is on national or human basis.
The Festival is brought free of charge to e.g. seniors in social facilities or low-income families. These groups of people are increasingly at risk economically and it is all the more important for them not to lose touch with cultural life and art.
2. CHILDREN´S BARMUSEUMFEST FESTIVAL
Focused on current trends in children´s theatre production.
Selected performances transcend our cultures, go beyond artistic genres and stories on which they originated. We pay more and more attention to the active participation of children by emphasizing the interactivity of performances (in accordance with current trends in theatrical production (not only) for children. It means much more for children´s audience to have the opportunity to experience things through practical activities, not words, and therefore we organize workshops in cooperation with some ensembles. The festival is brought free of charge, e.g. to the children from low-income families and children´s homes as well as several nursery schools in the town.
3. Educational project WINDOW TO ART
Focused preferably on music and theatre workshops. For the students of art, their teachers and graduates, but also organizers of art events, artistic and technical workers, amateur artist and live art enthusiasts from the region we bring the possibility to broaden the practical and theoretical horizon in the field of specific acting and performative techniques, live instrument creation techniques, sound or light design ... from renowned Czech artist and top-class teachers and apply the acquired knowledge and experience in art creation. However, the emphasis of the project is not put on the presentation, as is often the case in this type of project, but on the process of learning and knowledge exchange. One of the greatest intentions of our team is to support young talents. In addition of presenting their pieces of work, we are happy to provide them with experiences which they would not have the opportunity to go through in the current Slovak educational system.
The aim of the workshops is not really to teach, but to kind of open a window through which they can take a look and which often inspiresand moves them to a new artistic direction.
Contact: barmuseum(at)barmuseum.eu
