Festival IN A NEW LIGHT is a multigenre art festival the concept of which is an active connection of the past and the present, of movement and space, of light and sound. The event takes patronage over the exhibition part of multimedia works of art, the exhibition of photographs, dance performances, night videomapping happening, public discussion format and concerts of jazz and experimental music.
Artists Lukáš Matejka (TRAKT) and Štefan Oliš (TRAKT), in cooperation with Peter Štuller, participate in the festival with a new author´s visual work of art that was directly inspired by a couple of stained glasses. The release is planned for the 2nd of July 2021 (after twilight) on the façade of the House of Culture in Považská Bystrica.
The House of Culture in Považská Bystrica was built in September 1969. During the 70s, it was one of the richest houses in Slovakia. On the inside, it was decorated with travertine, crystal chandeliers, stained glass from glass workshops around Brno and with tapestry from Matejka. It was built during the times of Slovak normalization. Povazšká Bystrica was a very rich town – the employment rate was almost 100 % thanks to engineering plants the (even during the economic crisis). Up until 1989, when the production of arms was closed, and the company with almost 9 billion in the assets became a delicious bite for privatizers, Považská Bystrica begun to decay and has lost its status of one of the richest places in Slovakia. (source: Cooltajner, narration of J. Smatana)
The first year of the festival will take place on the premises of the Cultural Center Cooltajner and other rooms of the House of Culture OZK and its exterior from the 28th of June 2021 until the 4th of July. The program of the festival will be teased during the month of June 2021. Main partner of the festival is the Slovak Arts Council which supported the festival from the public resources.