Nová Cvernovka

Nová Cvernovka is a cultural and creative center operated by the Cvernovka Foundation. Located on the premises of a former chemical school in Bratislava in the Nové Mesto district. Founded by the creative community in 2016, that moved in after being pushed out from a gentrifying area. Laid out on 18 000 m2 it operates a multifunctional venue, an outdoor terrace and a podium, film and photography studio, community garden, playground and houses co-working space, public library, artist-in-residence program, and 132 art and creative studios. It provides a broad-spectrum of cultural and educational programs in music, visual arts, literature, film, performing arts and multi-genre activities that enrich the palette of Bratislava’s cultural scene with different formats of events.

The centre aims to function not only as a free space for people from the creative industry but also as an entity that plays an active role in civic society. The organisation is searching for innovative collaboration models between non-profit organisations and the public sector and bringing new life into abandoned places by transforming them into centres of culture and creativity. Nová Cvernovka brings a dramatically diverse mix of functions to the boundary between two zones, a low-density residential neighborhood, and an industrial zone. It is a place for broad local use that has revived the neighbourhood.

What makes the organisation unique?

Nová Cvernovka is the most diverse and constantly innovating hub for culture, arts and creative industry in Slovakia. It is a living organism basen od community co-lead processes that operate on principles of ecological and economic sustainability.