This thesis examines changes in rehearsal spaces for independent music in Ljubljana and determines whether the transition from a socialist to a capitalist system has had an impact on how they are managed. The thesis compares the conditions for acquiring spaces in Yugoslavia and today, examines the definition of rehearsal spaces, and compares their organization and accessibility. Based on semi-structured interviews with two musicians, a rehearsal space manager, and a representative of the City of Ljubljana, the thesis concludes that key changes in rehearsal spaces for independent music production have been influenced by the formalization, bureaucratization, and the establishment of a business model for renting out rehearsal spaces. The study also highlights the paradox of managing spaces owned by the municipality, as the responsible department is unable to provide suitable rehearsal spaces nor does it maintain any statistical overview of such spaces. We emphasize how changes to rehearsal spaces affect independent music production and deduce how the field, in which music groups find it harder to establish themselves on the market, has become more subjected to economization. As access to public rehearsal spaces has become regulated, we observe that strategies for acquiring rehearsal spaces have narrowed and become more individualized.
|