Culture
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Rog
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Rog activists at a press conference.
Alternative Culture
Two Sides of the Horn
25.04.2008
The future of the former Tovarna Rog (Horn) bicycle factory on Trubarjeva cesta is causing controversy. On one hand, it is an ugly abandoned building that the city wants to put to reasonable use. On the other hand, it is a lively, autonomous centre for freedom and creativity, which the occupants want to preserve.
The destiny of Tovarna Rog, the former bicycle factory of Ljubljana, has recently been the subject of intense debate. Although at first sight it may look abandoned, Rog has become a flourishing centre for autonomous social and cultural activity over the last two years. The City of Ljubljana, which owns the building, wants to use the site for luxury apartments and a modern art centre and has promised the independent artists and non-profit organisations who currently use the site that they could continue doing so until development begins.
These users have renovated the rooms at their own expense and have created a concert hall and an art gallery by themselves. Various self initiative workshops, exhibitions and concerts, as well as free yoga lessons and social rights activities take place inside the buildings.
However, the city has its own plans for Tovarna Rog and it was agreed with the current occupants that they can use the place for three years, under certain conditions. The city also promised to provide them space after the redevelopment began. Unfortunately, these agreements have never been formalised into a contract, so when city authorities suddenly decided to close Rog for one night on March 20th, they understandably met strong resistance.
The lack of a contract has caused uncertainty for the people and organisations who currently use the buildings and is the underlying cause of their discontent. These people have spent countless hours working about the place and have provided a cost-free attraction for the city; however, they fear being evicted without warning and without another venue to relocate to.
The city owns the site and sees it as a wasted opportunity and, therefore, a cost. The rationale of those who use the place is different. The prevailing ideology in Rog is that events organised there are free and everything is done on a voluntary basis; it effectively functions outside the economy. The owners want to exploit it to bring economic benefit for the city, the occupants want to exploit it to bring artistic and spiritual benefits to the city. Are these positions so diametrically-opposed that a win-win solution is out of the question?