The Fund for the Support of Arts has allocated €140,000 to create an event center and café in a shopping mall in Bratislava. This funding has raised eyebrows as cultural centers in the regions are struggling to survive into 2026 after receiving news that their funding for year-round operations has been cut off by the FPU. This fundraising initiative by the regional centers highlights the disparity in support for local arts compared to projects that seem to benefit a few closely connected individuals.

The grant was awarded to the relatively unknown civic association Limetka, which informed the public about the funding last week. The funds are intended for constructing a multi-functional space that will include a café, event studio, and coworking area in the Central shopping center of Bratislava. Remarks made by Beáta Bencsíková, the head of Limetka, reveal personal motivations intertwined with business decisions, as she expressed her fondness for art and wine, suggesting a strong personal connection to the proposed venue.

This situation has sparked discussions around favoritism in cultural funding, especially considering a past professional connection between Bencsíková and Slovakia’s current Minister of Culture, Martina Šimkovičová. The apparent overlap in their professional paths raises questions about the transparency and fairness of funding distributions, as many regional cultural centers now face uncertainty about their future due to insufficient financial support from the government, prompting them to initiate a public fundraising campaign for survival.