The task of the municipal curator, a new position at the Municipal Office in Trenčín, is to adjust the rules for advertising, the care of works of art and the appearance of elements in public space. Omar Mirza took over as city curator at the beginning of October. He works at the Territorial Planning Department of the city of Trenčín. His first task is a manual for labeling operations.

Several Slovak cities are trying to take care of their public spaces in such a way that they are more pleasant, appear more uniform, and are less overwhelmed by advertising and various signs. They introduce rules for the placement of advertising, for the appearance of streets or for the maintenance of elements in public space (such as surfaces, benches, signs, stands...).

Despite this, the position of municipal specialist for public space is exceptional in Slovakia, it is held only by the city of Trnava and, from October 2023, also Trenčín. The city of Trenčín established it as part of systemic steps in connection with the title of European Capital of Culture (ECC) 2026.

"Last year, as part of the Reshaped City project (which is part of the EHMK), we mapped the state of public spaces in Trenčín, analyzed problems and proposed solutions. The Czech expert on the cultivation of public spaces, Veronika Rút Fullerová, who cooperates with municipalities in the Czech Republic, cooperated on the strategy," says Lívia Gažová, project manager for architecture and public space in the Trenčín 2026 team, and continues: "One of the recommendations was the creation of a public space specialist position . His work should mainly be the care of existing works of art, the placement of new works in public space, the fight against visual smog (that is, the flooding of the space with advertising and signs). But also the application of new strategic documents - e.g. public space manual or advertising manual. He tells how advertising can be placed in the city so that it does not disturb us."

Experience and communication skills

Qualified applicants applied for the selection process for the position of city curator. The commission chose Omar Mirza because he has many years of experience in curating, an overview of the topics and issues of public space. At the same time, his added value was communication skills. They will be helpful to him as a mediator of the public debate about how our city should look.

"I have a strong personal relationship with Trenčín: apart from the anecdotal digging of a well in the castle, I have a wife from Trenčín, we had a wedding here, both of our children were born here, I feel at home here. I realize what challenges Trenčín's public space faces - after all, like in any other Slovak city," says O. Mirza.

According to him, the position of city curator is not only important in creating and enforcing rules and regulations: "As a city curator, I want to be a partner for various entities in the city. Highlighting what is valuable and trying to find ways to enhance it. I want to listen to the people of Trenčín and bring them suggestions on how to make things better and more beautiful," he explains.

Trenčín will have a city curator as the guarantor of overall care for public space. Together with the experts, male and female employees of the municipal office, efforts will be made to move the public space in Trenčín to a higher level in the coming years.

Who is Omar Mirza?

He studied art history at the University of Vienna. He was a curator at the Nitra Gallery. He cooperates with various Slovak and foreign institutions, cultural centers and festivals on exhibition projects of contemporary art and art in public space. He writes articles about art, moderates. He is the vice-president of the Slovak section of AICA (International Association of Art Critics). In the past, he was the creator of internet video shows about contemporary art, currently works as an external presenter at Radio Devín.

Trenčín 2026 is financially supported by the City of Trenčín and the Trenčín self-governing region. The project partner is the European Union.

Source: Trenčín 2026

Photo: Júlia Gavačová