Ravne na Koroškem, 24 June 2026 – The first Fabrika Fest, held under the theme “Between the Sparks of the Past and Ideas of the Future” from 21 to 23 June 2026 in Ravne na Koroškem, successfully brought together culture, science, industrial heritage, and the local community. The festival demonstrated the great potential of the Old Ironworks in Ravne na Koroškem as a space for developing a contemporary cultural and creative hub.

Nearly 30 events and workshops attracted more than 1,000 visitors during the festival days. Through a diverse programme, visitors explored rich industrial heritage, modern technologies, art, and a wide range of creative activities. The festival connected key elements of Ravne’s identity – Uršlja Gora, the Old Ironworks, Ravne Castle, and Javornik Manor.

The festival was created as a space for connecting different fields and generations. Visitors could take part in robotics and artificial intelligence workshops, discover blacksmithing heritage, visit exhibitions, lectures, concerts, and many other events that transformed the Old Ironworks and other festival venues into a vibrant meeting place for creativity, knowledge, and community. The festival was further enriched by the involvement of numerous partners, cultural creators, educational institutions, businesses, and local associations, who jointly co-created its first edition.

A special focus of the programme was placed on engaging children and young people. The participation of kindergartens, primary schools, and secondary schools enabled many young people to experience the Old Ironworks in a new way – through modern technologies, creative workshops, industrial heritage, and direct interaction with a place that represents an important part of Ravne na Koroškem’s identity.

Iskriva Institute among the co-creators of the professional and international programme: D. Dance Alliance performance and discussion on cultural management

Iskriva Institute contributed significantly to the festival’s international dimension by bringing the European D. Dance Alliance project to Fabrika Fest in cooperation with Delavski dom Velenje. Visitors had the exclusive opportunity to attend the preview screening of the immersive VR film Dancescapes 360°, which innovatively combines contemporary dance, digital technologies, and virtual reality, opening new possibilities for experiencing performing arts.

The programme was complemented by the dance performance Touch by renowned choreographer Igor Kirov, performed by Ema Bates and Endi Schrotter. Through contemporary dance, the duet explores closeness, trust, and human relationships. Before its presentation in Ravne, the performance impressed audiences at the NEB Festival in Brussels, making its inclusion an important enrichment of the festival programme and an opportunity for outstanding European contemporary dance productions to reach audiences in the Koroška region. More than 150 people attended the film screening and performance over the two days.

An important professional highlight of this year’s Fabrika Fest was the round table “Cultural Management: How to Create a Space Where Ideas, Creativity and Development Can Flourish?”. The event brought together representatives from culture, tourism, business, education, creative industries, heritage organisations, and development institutions to discuss the future of the Old Ironworks and opportunities for its long-term development.

The round table was part of the evaluation of the Old Ironworks programme within the European NONA (New Governance for New Spaces) project. Its purpose was to develop concrete recommendations for the future development of the festival and the entire site. The discussion showed that revitalising industrial heritage is not only about restoring buildings, but above all about creating high-quality content that brings spaces to life and connects culture, tourism, knowledge, business, and local communities.

The discussion featured several distinguished speakers from Slovenia, including Špela Pavli Perko, Director of Delavski dom Trbovlje; Primož Šporar, High-Impact Designer and CEO of FUND 2740; Mateja Hafner Dolenc, Secretary General of the Association of Historical Towns of Slovenia; and Tilen Hudrap, Slovenian instrumentalist and Ambassador of the Old Ironworks. The discussion was moderated by Zdravko Kozinc, co-founder and co-creator of Iskriva Institute.

A shared conclusion was that successful cultural projects are built over the long term, through the involvement of residents – especially young people – and with a clear vision and cross-sector cooperation.

Special attention was also dedicated to the future development of Fabrika Fest. Participants highlighted that the festival represents an important development opportunity for Ravne na Koroškem, as it can become a recognised festival in Slovenia and internationally by connecting industrial heritage, contemporary culture, science, and creativity. Key recommendations included developing a year-round programme at the Old Ironworks, strengthening cooperation with the local community, involving young people, connecting different organisations, and creating sustainable models for financing and managing cultural heritage.

The first Fabrika Fest has therefore laid important foundations for the continued development of the Old Ironworks. It demonstrated that industrial heritage can become a space for contemporary content, creativity, and collaboration, and that through strong partnerships, stories can be created that enrich local communities and open new development opportunities for the future.

The video and photo gallery are available HERE.

Fabrika Fest was part of the Danube Festival Caravan, implemented within the CAST – Culture trAnSforming communiTies and economies project, supported by the Interreg Danube Region Programme and co-financed by the European Union.

The D. Dance Alliance project is co-funded by the European Union through the Creative Europe Programme.

The Cultural Management event was organised within the framework of the NONA project, in cooperation with the CAST and SteelCityZen projects, co-funded by the Interreg Danube Region Programme.