METELKOVA SQUAT info

AKC Metelkova mesto (Metelkova City, Alternative Cultural Center) is an artistic space in the heart of Ljubljana, Slovenia, formerly a republic of Yugoslavia. It is a non-residential squat for artists and activists. It pays no taxes, sells liquor without a license, and has never had any legal status within the city. Metelkova can therefore be thought of as its own city comprised of the subcultures of the surrounding metropolis. The complex consists of four buildings, which hold art studios, galleries, music venues, cafes, bars, and dance clubs. Two other buildings at the site, Hostel Celica and Metelkova 6, collaborate with Metelkova but have separate legal status. The Hostel Celica is legally owned and run by the Student Organization of the University of Ljubljana, while Metelkova 6 is owned by the Ministry of Culture and contains offices of various non-profit organizations.
 

There has been a long and complicated history between the city of Ljubljana and Metelkova.  Unlike the Eastern Bloc, Yugoslavia during the Communist era was open to Western influences and its citizens were free to travel to Western countries. When punk spread throughout England and the U.S. in the late 1970s, many in Yugoslavia took to the development of their own cultural scene. The punk scene in Yugoslavia was well received by mainstream media and flourished. By the time Slovenia declared its independence, punk and alternative culture were already well woven into the region. With the development of Metelkova, this culture found a home.

Following the independence of Slovenia from Yugoslavia in June of 1991, the Yugoslav People’s Army abandoned its head barracks on Metelkova Street. The Network for Metelkova, which was established in 1990 in order to reconfigure social and artistic space.  It requested that Ljubljana permit the use of the former barracks as a cultural center.  The Network was still forming and in regular negotiations with the city of Ljubljana when on September 10th, 1993, the government attempted to illegally demolish the buildings. In response, about 200 people squatted the space and began holding concerts and artistic exhibitions. Throughout the fall of 1993, the center held around 200 musical and artistic events. The subsequent public and media support for the squatters helped foster its growth. However, this did not dissuade the government from attempting to demolish Metelkova. Successful attempts occurred in 1997, when the “Old School” was demolished, and in 2006 with the destruction of the “Small School.” Metelkova’s relationship with the government has been an ever-changing process as Ljubljana’s City Council members have come and gone. As of June 2009, Metelkova has a much-improved relationship with the surrounding authority. A constructive dialogue has developed and there have been talks over the last year about Metelkova becoming city-owned. This would allow Metelkova projects to attain more solid legal status, but some AKC activists fear signing a contract with the city would threaten the voluntaristic, experimental orientation that has been a hallmark of Metelkova Mesto.

With constant struggles throughout the community’s history, it is not surprising that Metelkova is facing an uncertain future. This uncertainty is not based on maintaining the physical space; in fact, many people are certain that the physical community will continue to exist. The troubles come from the larger community of Ljubljana, where the city government has plans to legalize Metelkova by placing it under a contract, possibly changing the entire structure of the community. One member of the Meteorology community was able to articulate the irony, explaining that fighting against the more conservative government of the recent past was easier than protecting themselves from the liberals who, in their current support, may drastically change Metelkova.
  
source: http://metelkova.goucher.edu/history.html
web page: http://www.metelkovamesto.org