Confront, discuss, collaborate?

/ ZUZANA ŽURKINOVÁ - DOMINIKA BELANSKÁ

ˆCONFRONT, DISCUSS, COLLABORATE?

» BRATISLAVA’S URBAN ACTORS TRY IT ALL New kind of citizen engagement and volunteer-based efforts have risen in the last decade in Slovak capital, Bratislava. A number of successful bottom-up initiatives were formed that provide alternative and innovative solutions for mobility, food self-sufficiency, community involvement, public space revitalisation and other urban issues.

What visions and tractions have shaped these movements and their approaches? How efficient and sustainable are these initiatives in the local context? Do these activities cooperate with or rather confront the decision making structures?

Do they inspire local communities and other players to action and leave a footprint in local policies?

Case studies of six selected initiatives try to find answers to these questions and provide an introspection into the current citizen-driven face of Bratislava.

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Zuzana Žurkinová, Dominika Belanská

“Along the more traditional civic associations which formed in relation to the development of Bratislava as protest and critical movements, suddenly multitude of people, sort of hipster, emerged who brought along with them particular lifestyle, personal involvement, the right amount of audacity and willingness to translate what they want into development of local communities, backyards, neighbourhoods and then into broader city development,”

Confront, Discuss, Collaborate? » Bratislava’s Urban Actors Try It All

spaces, they started off by focusing on private unused spaces, because dealing with the municipality regarding municipal lands seemed tedious. The organizers also enjoyed the idea of faking the private space and transforming it into a public space, to make the otherwise inaccessible space open.

Based on the success and acclaim of their first mobile garden and the growing inter-

describes how some six years ago the new tune of ‘activism’ spread, public participa-

est of general public in community gardening, Vnútroblok looked for more places.

tion advocate, public spaces and facilitation expert Zora Paulíniová. The motivations

Together with volunteers they mapped vacant plots in the central area of Bratislava,

of the new urban actors for taking over the responsibility for the environment and

which eventually resulted in their second project - Vineyards Pionierska. In this case

neighbourhood relationships vary. However, their need to act constructively and not

though, the land was in the ownership of the municipality. After one year of nego-

just wait for change to happen must have been merged with a collaborative mindset

tiations, Vnútroblok received three years lease contract. Since Spring 2015 the gar-

and know-how gained often from abroad. Moreover, corresponding grant schemes

deners take care of vegetables and herbs in mobile raised beds as well as for revived

of private foundations oriented towards public spaces and communities uplift, and

vineyards.

especially encouraging volunteer-based activities, became more common. They have provided an important financial support for the growth of Bratislava’s bottom-up ini-

The activities of Vnútroblok became very popular and sometimes individuals came

tiatives from the early 2000’s on - an impulse which the scarce municipal resources

up with ideas of unused spaces and contact the association; this shows, that the work

could have not provided.

of several active citizens who created Vnútroblok now inspire others to look at the city with different pro-active optics. As the mobile garden on Sasinková street ended,

A wide range of both temporary or systemic interventions of individual or collective

a new project is being born - a principal of a local school offered an unused school

actors, initiatives, NGOs and enterprises develop in Bratislava next to each other or

courtyard on Karpatská street for urban gardening. A crowdfunding campaign earned

in collaboration. Without an ambition to cover all themes and approaches, we have

them 133% of what they set out for, so in the Spring 2016 the space will be revitalized.

focused on and compared six significant pioneers, that we found most revealing of the

The new garden will use some of the old raised beds from Sasinková, but otherwise

state of local matters.

it will grow out of the local context: the new garden will work as a therapeutical and educational tool for the mentally disadvantaged children attending the school, adding

ˆPLANTING POTENTIAL INTO VACANCY

up to the opportunities it will provide for the neighbours.

There is a big amount of urban spaces in popular urban zones in Bratislava, which

The fence is open. Here and there, a piece of brick, a pile of soil and a deconstructed

are abandoned or temporarily unused for various reasons. It might suggest that much

raised bed - last leftovers being cleaned, after Bratislava’s first ‘mobile garden’ mov-

potential for temporary and alternative uses lies in the streets. The way to get access

ing out of a vacant private lot in the city centre. When recollecting how this space

and actually ‘make it happen’ is not that easy. Taking it the ‘occupy’ way is not Brati-

worked like while used as the community garden, it now seems even more ‘empty’

slava style: there is practically no tradition of squatting or simply ‘claiming’ a space.

than three years ago, before the revitalization has started. The garden leaves the place

The land is mostly in private hands, often burdened by a frozen developer project,

as agreed beforehand, due to planned new development at the lot, nevertheless, what

or in case it is still publicly owned, the possibilities of contracting with the city or

stays are the relationships of the neighbours, built and strengthened by sharing the

the state is limited - either by legislation or lack thereof. For many, dealing with any

space, mutual help and the many common picnics, workshops and informal meetings.

public administration is still rather scary.

Civic association Vnútroblok has founded their first garden in Sasinková street as a pilot of their project Mobilné záhrady (Mobile Gardens). When looking for possible « 4 café bábel

Under these circumstances, it is rather surprising that another ambitious bottom-up 5»

Zuzana Žurkinová, Dominika Belanská

Confront, Discuss, Collaborate? » Bratislava’s Urban Actors Try It All

project came into life - the first rooftop urban community garden in Slovakia, Záhrada POD PYRAMÍDOU, located on the roof-terrace under the iconic inverted pyramid

Jedlé mesto conceived the space so that it would offer the visitors a variety of engage-

of Slovak Radio building in Bratislava. The ambition of its founding members, coming

ment possibilities, leading to diverse ‘roles’ of the users, ranging from occasional

from civic association Jedlé mesto (Edible City) that deals with urban agriculture, and

passers-by stopping by for relax and coffee, through the more frequently coming par-

the interdisciplinary team of NA STRECHE (ON THE ROOF) initiative, was to enable

ticipants of cultural and educational events, up to the 60 members of the community

the local communities to rediscover the formerly locked off and nonfunctional roof-

garden and their friends and families, who would come regularly. The complex nature

top landscape of the late modern monument. Together, they attempted to turn almost

of the placemaking model was reflected also in the partnerships and the economy -

2000 square meters of empty stone-cladded terrace into a diverse and inclusive space.

Jedlé mesto fundraised from foundations, invited the community gardeners via public open call and collected their voluntary membership fees, and partnered with MOJE

NA STRECHE initiative originally envisioned the project for a different place, but

company which set up a small café and contributed financially to cover bills for water,

the attempts to find a suitable partner failed three times before - either for technical

electricity and other costs. RTVS supplied the programming of POD PYRAMIDOU

reasons or because the owners of the buildings or their partners didn’t want to bother

with large scale concerts, live broadcasts and professional media attention and PR.

with ‘experimental’ use or perceived the community-driven activities in contrast

The space became very popular, by now attracting over thirty thousand visitors.

with their future plans.

At last, thanks to the sympathies of high managers of the national institution Radio

Both Vnútroblok and Jedlé mesto respond to the vacant urban spaces that could be

and Television Slovakia (RTVS), and the identification of their own ambitions with

used innovatively, and they both see the added value of gardening as a community

the proposed plan and vision by the initiative, the space under the pyramid was

making and placemaking instrument. As for the gardeners, they aim for people across

re-open for public after decades of closure in September 2014. This was based on an

all categories, striving for the positive implications of inclusivity and diversity. In

unprecedented collaboration contract in which a small volunteer-based NGO Jedlé

contrast with the relatively flexible Mobile gardens of Vnútroblok, the rooftop garden

mesto and the state institution RTVS committed together (as stated in the contract)

POD PYRAMIDOU was never planned as a ‘temporary use’ project, but rather as an

to “support healthy living, diets, education and awareness raising activities, for the

iterative process of reconnecting the space and the neighbourhood, which could have

protection and creation of natural environments, integration of minorities, youth and

taken many years. Yet the further continuation of this idea is uncertain. Less than

for the protection of the health of citizens.”

a year since the launch, following an attempt of RTVS to lower the importance and decision-making competence of Jedlé mesto in the collaboration contract, RTVS had

All the activities such as participatory planning and design, cleaning of the space,

ultimately cancelled the contract. Jedlé mesto along with all belongings of the com-

building raised beds and other infrastructure, gardening, regular community meet-

munity garden has been ordered to leave the premises by the end of November 2015.

ings, seasonal celebrations and ethnobotanical workshops, were done by Jedlé mesto

The state institution now claims that the volunteers “didn’t fulfill expectations”, and

together with the neighbours and other volunteers, who were engaged from early on in

takes over under its own management not only the space, but also the project, claim-

the process. Human ecologist Boglárka Ivanegová, co-founder of the garden, explains,

ing it their own by trademarking its name POD PYRAMÍDOU, and plans to continue

that they have tried to “enable the co-creators of the garden to explore its complexity,

without its initiators and founders.

to see it as an open system, where the physical space and social relationships add up to each other. The project functions of the premise that if people have the opportunity

The development of this collaboration and its urged end reveal how the willingness

to meet and share a space on a nonformal base, they would communicate and seek

of the bottom-up initiative to take a lot of responsibility was cleverly abused. It also

out ways of common understanding, respect and cooperation to achieve their shared

seriously questions the perception of the role of active citizens and the value of their

goals, be it smaller challenges like building wooden raised beds, or grand challenges

volunteer work: seen rather as unruly employees than equal partners and experts in

like changing the urban environment to a healthier place.”

the field, the members of Jedlé mesto faced a lot of control over their actions. While

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Zuzana Žurkinová, Dominika Belanská

Confront, Discuss, Collaborate? » Bratislava’s Urban Actors Try It All

juggling with bureaucratic demands of the state institution, they were still able to

The initiative has been engaged in an investigative activism to a point where they have

engage others into the making of a fruitful change in the city - the previously inacces-

such amount of information on the topic of either waste management or advertising

sible space is now open and alive and will in some way or another continue to serve

policies that they have the capacity to develop strategic materials. Čupka says they

the local communities.

address the problems through “positive form of critique which goes beyond blogging.”

The moving out of the garden from the space under the pyramid provided inciden-

Their approach may be perceived firsthand as collaborative, since they themselves

tally an opportunity for further sprouting of urban gardening. Five new gardens will

directly participate in solving the problems, not just point to (the failings of) others.

start in spring, seeding in the surplus wooden planters donated by Jedlé mesto. They

They successfully bring to light important issues and show that the local governments

will be organized by local community centre, an integration centre for the homeless,

should deal with the questions they address.

and independent cultural centre, among others.

However, in-depth investigation of questions like ‘Why does the trash end in the streets?’ or ‘Why is the city polluted by visual smog?’ turned out to be a slippery slope

In the last couple of years, a dozen community gardens were founded in Bratislava in

which led to tensions with local governments, who at first tolerated the activities

a variety of spatial situations and ownership circumstances. Sandra Štasselová, found-

of Zelená hliadka in other issues. Čupka has the experience that some employees

er of Vnútroblok argues that “gardening is an activity which attracts and thus brings

of the city district’s administration as well as political representatives have grown

together all strata of population. Bratislava is not socially segregated, majority of peo-

to perceive the activities of Zelená hliadka as personal critiques, thus find them as

ple live in a neighbourhood which is diverse. Bratislava should learn how to utilize

rivals. Relatively high media coverage, popularity amongst general public and wide

the potential of this social capital.” The leaders of urban gardening ‘movement’ were

support of the local community, and a certain political charge, make Zelená hliadka’s

invited by the municipality for a discussion, however no consecutive steps or legis-

activities salient.

lation changes were derived that would help to make their efforts or new attempts of

Zelená hliadka would like to let their actions speak for themselves, and the city’s (in)

others easier. What local urban gardeners can rely on, nevertheless, is the collective

activity speak for them: “We do not do the activities in order for the local government

know-how and mutual support of their own informal network.

to like us. We rather care for the general public opinion, if people turn in to our brigades and make donations, we know we are doing a good thing. We want to inspire

ˆSPOT-FIX OR CRITICAL MASS? BRATISLAVA NEEDS BOTH

people to demand a more quality work from the side of the local governments.”

Zelená hliadka’s elaborate investigation of tripod advertisements placed all over the

Rubbish piled in the hidden corners. And even more of it, tenderly called ‘visual

city around lamps, trees, road signs, and various poles, ended up proving that over

smog’, right in the streets! Repairs of infrastructure that never happen or take ages.

six hundred of them are illegal at the moment due to contract expiration or various

A city rather barrier-full than barrier-free. It was a frustration of the state of public

violations of local laws. After going public and presenting the case to the municipality,

premises, inspiration by solutions from abroad, a simple opportunity or niche to make

the municipality had to act upon Čupka’s findings. Their attempt to solve the affair is,

their first own intervention, or a mix of all this, that kick-started several emerging

hitherto, unsuccessful since the advertising agency refuses to respond to the munici-

local actors, who have devoted much of their time for the “community” or the “pub-

pality’s appeals accordingly.

lic”. Matúš Čupka, founder of initiative Zelená hliadka, is surely one of them. Zelená

Moreover, Čupka found out that the provision of city space for advertisements bring

hliadka has been for more than five years mobilizing volunteers to clean illegal dump

scant profit, therefore supposes that self-interests of political representatives must

sites in all parts of the city and make quick spot-fixes in street infrastructure. In a

be at play. This case, after being successfully resolved, may work as a precedent and

workshop they have established, they invent and realize hands-on, DIY solutions for

bring about higher interest of general public and thus politicians for improved regu-

untreated mobility and streets maintenance problems. They also issue a blog that

lation and control of visual smog. Even though the matter is still not solved, the topic

critically reviews municipal services.

was highly debated among public. The importance of the issue in wider context is only

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Zuzana Žurkinová, Dominika Belanská

highlighted by the fact that Čupka won a national journalism prize for his writing on the investigation process and results.

Confront, Discuss, Collaborate? » Bratislava’s Urban Actors Try It All

The case studies of Zelená hliadka and Cyklokoalícia show how public services and systems that are neglected or understaffed by the local governments are then cared for by civil initiatives. Pauliniová points out that “non-profits initiate a lot of activi-

Unlike advertisement regulation and effective waste-management dealt with by

ties, but it is unthinkable that they could go on twenty years without the city and its

Zelená hliadka, city cycling infrastructure and its development is a topic, on which

representatives change of attitude. Inactivity stimulates the activity of citizens, but in

the city representatives are somewhat more open for insights and cooperation. Cyk-

the long-term it would be too frustrating.”

lokoalícia, an NGO that is about to round out its fifth year of struggle for better condi-

What is the optimal strategy for active citizens to deal with the obvious deficiencies

tions for cyclists and pedestrians in Bratislava, has now reached a status of a so-called

of municipal services? Getting their hands dirty for a while, spot-fix problems on

informal advisory body: they do the work that the city does not have the capacity and

site, is only a temporary, fractional solution, but it provides important stimuli for

‘user experience’ for - they professionally, for free comment on all relevant develop-

realization that things should change, and provokes more people to co-act.

ment projects and strategic materials to make sure that the concept of complete streets

A critical mass of self-aware citizens in Bratislava is forming already this way and it

is considered, meaning safe for all: pedestrians, cyclists, public transport lanes. In this

might be able to back up the proposals of systemic changes of bottom-up initiatives.

way, Cyklokoalícia watches over the development of Bratislava’s infrastructure.

As their work is rooted in the community and fans, it is probable, that the change will be asked for massively, too. The growing success of crowdfunding and crowdsourcing

Cyklokoalícia works basically on two levels: on the political level, they develop stra-

for their goals confirms they have the support of the mass. This, combined with some

tegic materials and comment on projects. On the civic society level, they increase

entrepreneurial attempts, promises a more sustainable practice, less dependent on

the awareness of possibilities and importance of cycling among general public. They

external funding.

distribute various materials such as bike routes map, parking manual, give lectures, organize discussions. They also support independent projects such as Critical Mass

The most visible actors reached a unique position on the way - for the actual change

Bratislava, Bike2work day and importantly Cyklokuchyňa, an initiative that provides

they are making and the set of values and morals they represent (and live them

weekly bike workshop and runs a unique community bike-sharing system White Bikes.

through their actions), they function as role-models instead of local political repre-

Their 50 bikes, distributed throughout most of the city are operated by a user-friendly

sentatives (either past or present) most of whom face criticism for alleged corruption

SMS system. This bottom-up invented and self-sufficient project has outrun the offi-

and negligence. These people, often volunteers, however, cannot be expected to treat

cial bike sharing system that is being drafted by the municipality for years already

every aspect of civic life and watch-dog over every step of the municipality, or even

and still has not been realized.

substitute city officers who are paid from public money. Should the active citizens actually get into those positions? Should the new urban actors keep an independent

There is much to be done in Bratislava in order for cycling to be ‘normal’ and the

critical position or is it necessary for at least some of them to attempt to change things

safety level acceptable. The number of people commuting everyday by bike has risen

from within as politicians or employees of the municipality? Well, sparks of this could

rapidly, but the infrastructure is still underdeveloped. Nevertheless, progress has

be seen happening already, especially in the last municipal elections, when former

been made - in the streets, and in the mindsets too. Tomáš Peciar, one of the leaders

activists were elected to municipal councils, or when skilled young experts coming

of Cyklokoalícia says,“At this point, every candidate for any political post has in their

from initiatives attempted to help implement participatory planning or participatory

electoral manifesto development of bike lanes - that was unheard of four years ago.

budgeting policies while employed at municipal offices.

When we met for the first time with then mayor of Bratislava, we had to explain the difference between cycling and bicycle transportation. Now, people are more educated on all levels.”

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Zuzana Žurkinová, Dominika Belanská

ˆTEACHING THE OLD TOWN SOME NEW TRICKS

Confront, Discuss, Collaborate? » Bratislava’s Urban Actors Try It All

The project is in general a success. At first, every second week, and now already every Saturday a big market with products offered by reliable producers and suppli-

Bratislava’s downtown area or the Old Town is the space, where most of the cultural

ers is held in the Old Market Hall. The building also shelters a great variety of cultural

activities in Bratislava happen, where most people work, most tourists come to visit

happenings and community events, a cooking school, volunteer centre, social café,

- and where the average age of official residents is the highest among all city districts.

and other services. The doors are wide open, marking that the process of re-integra-

The revitalization process and innovation efforts have been triggered from the bot-

tion of the market space back into the public space of the city has begun.

tom-up here as well. Another duo of case-studies had been paired and juxtaposed, to reveal what can be learned from the ‘success’ story of Aliancia Stará Tržnica and ‘failure’ story of ŠAFKO.

Stará Tržnica revitalisation is often mentioned as a positive reference by the political representatives to demonstrate their openness towards civic initiatives and cooperation. On the other hand, people standing behind the project as well as general

Eleven established professionals from cultural management, arts, architecture and

public, are content too. Aliancia Stará tržnica succeeded in re-establishing a local

other fields joint in order to bring about the project of revitalization of the Old Market

tradition and fused it into an innovative community-driven model for regeneration

Hall in the city centre, which had been unused and slowly deteriorating for several

of a vacant facility. Old Market Hall is thus an extremely important precedent for

years. In 2012, they submitted a proposal to the municipality, to reopen the space

the local milieu, that there is a way to go. That implies the crucial ingredients for the

and manage it as a civic association Aliancia Stará Tržnica. The municipality could

next projects should include: transparency, viability, early inclusion of public and

take it or leave it. The negotiations amongst all relevant representatives lasted a year,

endurance in the negotiations to establish an appropriate contract.

and revealed the extensive and complicated decisionmaking process of the municipal council, with media and local public oversight.

Some of these important features were unfortunately missing in a disputed project ŠAFKO. It used to be a temporary intervention constructed from refurbished shipping

A lease contract stating a clear purpose and structure was finally signed and the

containers, which provided young creatives and social innovators with a space in the

municipality handed over the building to the association for ten years, given the

centre where they could work and be seen. It was an innovative solution to an unsat-

condition that they will invest ten thousand euro per month into maintenance and

isfactory situation - a lack of affordable space and a placemaking tool for the derelict

reconstruction works. Since the project did not come out of public tender, they creat-

public space. The containers were rented by a café, bike workshop Cyklokuchyňa,

ed certain ‘safety catches’ to ensure transparency, such as establishing a management

multifunctional centre of humanitarian organization, a charity vintage shop and five

board that comprises members of Aliancia Stará Tržnica as well as members of the

more were dedicated to promotion and sale of products from local designers.

city council, and advisory board that comprises politicians only.

Are these tools of cooperation or of control? As the alliance didn’t receive any mon-

Various complications and controversies have accompanied the birth, life and demise

ey from the municipal budget, the control is not applied by reasons of transparent

of project ŠAFKO. At the very beginning, Kleinert Creative House company came with

funding. Is it then there because otherwise the city would not accept their project?

the project kontAKT, which was supposed to revitalize the problematic city centre

Perhaps. However, the city cannot interfere with the actual dramaturgy (that is left

area behind a major transport hub. However, their courageous concept using ship-

to the experts of the alliance) and the rule is only: no political agenda in the program.

ping containers to transform this non-place into a creative hub, was dismissed by the municipality.

However, it was not all roses. Even though Aliancia Stará tržnica made the proposal

Later on in a different space, at Šafárikovo square, a project of underground car park

transparent and involved public from the beginning, several people may have had

was repudiated by public, and the then-mayor of the Old Town city district Tatiana

hard feelings about the space. Once the proposal went public, other urban actors

Rosová offered the space of the square to resurrect the project kontAKT. One of the

claimed the space and questioned the decision-making process. But since it was not

authors of the project, Oliver Kleinert, claims that it seemed as if Rosová tried to

the municipality coming up with the project, a tender did not have to be set up.

build her political PR around having ‘saved the square’. Anyway, they could launch

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Zuzana Žurkinová, Dominika Belanská

Confront, Discuss, Collaborate? » Bratislava’s Urban Actors Try It All

the project. She signed a five-year lease contract for the project at the square, allowing a free use of public space; however there was one major complication. She did

The controversy of ŠAFKO also anticipates the much needed discussion about whom

not publish the contract within three months from signing, and that according to the

does the Old Town district serve - and accordingly, what is its desired character and

new information law meant the contract became invalid. Moreover, in the meantime,

how it should balance the perpetrated ‘right to sleep’ of the residents with the cultural,

several fairly upset resident of the square protested against the project due to alleged

social and touristic functions of the core of the capital city. This conflict is rather

diminished quality of life because of noise and some were as well appalled by the

fuelled than mediated by the actions of the municipality as illustrated by the recent

appearance of the containers and their contrast with the historical setting.

proposal of the mayor to shorten the opening hours of all city centre businesses to 10

From this situation, the candidate for the post of mayor of the Old Town district,

pm, eventually 12pm. Naturally, it has triggered a wave of protest of touched stake-

Radoslav Števčík, took advantage and built part of his campaign on a vow that he will

holders and public who fear it will have a ‘ghosting’ effect on the streets of the Old

terminate ŠAFKO, for the sake of the local inhabitants. Once he won the elections,

Town and fatal consequence for local economy.

Števčík ordered to halt all the activities of ŠAFKO and leave the square. A petition to ‘rescue’ the project was initiated subsequently by its founders. Almost four thousand

The Hope is in Awareness

people supported their project and asked the mayor to let the project continue. The negotiations in which both sides of the conflict claimed the other side is not cooper-

“Cooperation is the challenge of coming years: either political representatives will

ative enough, took several months. The result is that the containers had to be gone by

only (mis)use it for political campaign or they will reflect what is going on at the bot-

the end of May 2015 and the founders are supposed to pay more than 30 000 Euro bill

tom, appropriate the ideological discourse and become charismatic leaders,” reflects

to make up for the use of public premises in the previous months. A lawsuit seems

the possible futures Štasselová from Vnútroblok. She sees that cooperation is neces-

inevitable.

sary: “Since we want to do activities with an overlap to established policies, we need

In the case of ŠAFKO, the political discontinuity which is peculiar to Slovak politics is evident: with the change of political power-holders, the project’s existence was imme-

to do it legally and well. This overlap should lead to gradual cultivation of political environment.”

diately jeopardized. However, in this case, it may as well mean that the intervention

Public participation is still performed quite superficially and the city budget is noto-

and its possible benefits weren’t communicated adequately and participation of local

riously underestimated, thus the municipality is understaffed to deal with challenges,

residents was underestimated. The project rather focused on the younger generation

that authentic involvement of citizens and cooperation with initiatives brings. The

and professionals from creative fields. (And successfully - the project even won an

space for discussion and often authentic willingness to sort the issues out has formed

annual architectural prize CE.ZA.AR in the category ‘exterior’.) As Pauliniová argues,

on the side of the municipality too. Yet, stiff processes and administration, lack of

“The mistake was that the project did not work with the local community enough,

strategic participation tools and discontinuity in decision-making hinder the cooper-

it came to establish a new one.” Overall, one could sense that the entrepreneurial

ation to a great extent and that justifies the critique and gives reasons for scepticism.

spirit of the project prevailed over the cultural and public aspects, which gave mayor Števčík an opportunity to claim that it must be treated like all businesses.

To sum up, where the ‘managing hand’ of municipality is missing, alternative policies of bottom-up initiatives take over. They use wisely their know-how and local expertise

Kleinert’s ambition to establish a creative hub is not drawn back: “I do not like

and are mostly keen to cooperate. They still need more acceptance as professionals

that people who should be given the opportunities are not given enough room. Young

and more respect, as they speak and act as representatives of the communities. The

people who do not get enough chances experience tension which can go two ways -

ever-expanding base of active citizens, who are sensitive and aware of their right to

positive, or it can lead into extremism or something else negative. Therefore we want

the city, and the first successful precedents of synergy of the bottom-up and top-down

to give them space to express themselves.” The project might be revived soon in the

forces, give hope that innovation of policies and systemic changes for better quality of

original location it was designed for.

life in Bratislava will not remain in the level of wishful thinking.

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