PLAST

PLAST is a grassroot organisation of Slovak dance independent artists created out of the need for a sustainable infrastructure for dance development and its promotion in 2016. Being a platform, it plays a specific role within Slovak contemporary dance ecosystem – it tries to bring the individual artists together – currently more than 60 members as well as their dance associations and independent companies. It is an important link among all of them, instigator of discussions on current challenges, but also new collaborative initiatives.
In relation to policy makers, it acts as an advocate for better conditions for contemporary dance, facilitates discussions as well as collaborations among different stakeholders.

It also addresses industry’s chronic problems such as lack of spaces, visibility, critical reflection of dance art, international collaboration by:
– offering residencies,
– organising an international symposium Contaminations,
– inciting writings and reflections of dance works,
– promoting and archiving the activities of its members,
– giving support to the emerging artists.

PLAST is also holding a physical space for development and sharing of knowledge from 2019 – Residency centre Telocvičňa located in the Slovak capital – Bratislava. It helps build international visibility for the scene and is significantly contributing to the exchange of knowledge. From 2021 PLAST is co-organising Slovak Dance Platform – a biennale showcase of works together with Bratislava in Movement Association and building longlasting regional and international partnerships such as with Workshop Foundation (HU), Polkadot (PL), Bazaar Festival and Vize tance (CZ), Movement Research (USA), Hellerau Dresden (GER).
From 2019 onwards PLAST has been part of a project Nature of Us dedicated to environmentally aware practices.