95 bands from all over Slovakia applied to the Garage open call. Thank you! Right now a seven-member jury is evaluating the applications and recordings. Who are the members?
Michal Berezňák
Concert and festival manager. He is the head of LALA Slovak Music Export, a non-profit civic association dedicated to the long-term support and presentation of Slovak music abroad. In 2018, he co-founded the SHARPE music festival in Bratislava, a showcase music festival that includes a conference for music industry professionals.
Táňa Lehocká
Experienced promoter and booking agent. Founder and owner of Real Something music agency, which represents Slovak bands such as NVMERI, FVLCRVM, Manon Meurt and The Ills. She also participated for several years in the organization of the BRAK - Bratislava Book Festival and the International Animation Festival Fest Anča, where she was in charge of the music program. Today she works as a booker and conference director at the Sharpe Festival.
Jana Shina Lokšenincová
Singer, lyricist, musician. In 2001, she founded the independent music label Slnko Records, which today is one of the most respected music labels in Slovakia and the Czech Republic. As a musician, she started with Daniel Salontay in the music group Dlhé diely, their collaboration continues today in the Longital project. Longital belongs to the top of the Slovak alternative scene, their latest, already 12th studio album Dočista (2022) was nominated for Radio_Head Awards in the folk music category.
Alan Schmiedl
Dude in the cap, a former skier and member of the MKSR Commission for Minority Culture. A choleric who prefers to be in progressive communities and the world of music. Author of the MUSikEja project "Bandcamp 4 Real" from 2006 to 2008. Official member of the rebellion around the Deadred Records label*. Desperate pseudo-manager of the band AUTUMNIST. Member of the cyclopasia core team, Pump Club civic association and owner of pumptrack #backlip in cooperation with BikeIng.
Jozef Sklenka
Graphic designer of Pohoda festival. His work spans from visual identity to curating the Visual Art Contest, to music dramaturgy. In his spare time, he intertwines visual art with homegrown music production. He has long collaborated with the music platform SHAPE+, where he reveals the essence of musical art through the visual side.
Ondrej Slivka
Music enthusiast, vinyl producer and owner/founder of the first Slovak vinyl-pressing-plants - Vinyl-LAB in Trenčín. Vinyl-LAB belongs to the vinyl-pressing plants that do not pollute water with chemicals and is the most ecological possible form of vinyl record production. He started with "hand" engraving of records - piece production, but he was also into DJ-ing. Within a year of operation, his pressing plant had evolved into small-run, volume production for Slovak and foreign independent music labels of all genres.
The independent jury for Trenčín 2026 will be completed by the artistic director Lenka Kuricová.
This Saturday, 9.6., we will know which bands will get the opportunity to present themselves in the Garage and soak up the know-how from the music industry experts and professionals!