Did punk contribute to the fall of the Berlin Wall? What role did the Czechoslovak musical dissent play in the Velvet Revolution? And can today’s subcultures strengthen Europe’s weakened democracy? These and other questions inspire the flagship project Sounds of Democracy, prepared in collaboration with the Pohoda Festival.
At its core will be a series of larger and smaller multidisciplinary events commemorating key days in European democratic history. From autumn 2025 until the end of 2026, we will mark days such as April 25 – the Carnation Revolution in Portugal, September 6 – the restoration of independence of the Baltic states, and, for us the most significant, November 17 – the Day of the Velvet Revolution, which brought democracy to Slovakia.
However, these mini-festivals are not meant to be just a remembrance of past struggles. Their ambition is to reflect on the current challenges facing democracy – from growing extremist nationalism, through radical conservatism, to populism threatening society.
The program will include engaged concerts, screenings of inspiring films, and discussions with artists, activists, and experts from all over Europe. Together they will explore the role of art, culture, and communities in democratic struggles – seeking parallels with the past, but above all possible ways forward for today’s challenges.
