RAVNIKAR is an artistic initiative that we have conceived in order to present contemporary, up-to-date artistic production by artists of the younger, middle and established generation, creating a link between an independent platform of artistic practices and the wider community. 

The RAVNIKAR gallery and the R SPACE project space are thus dedicated to the presentation and promotion of a variety of progressive artistic practices within the field of contemporary visual and intermedia arts, both by Slovenian and international artists. 

The programme of the RAVNIKAR initiative has been imagined with the desire to offer the most diverse set of programmes and content, reflecting a hybrid programme that transcends traditional divisions in terms of genre, engagement, motif, expression and the form of artistic practice itself, an all-encompassing diversity that deconstructs and at the same time breaks new ground in terms of true diversity and plurality. In addition to solo and group exhibitions, critical and engaged thought in and around art is promoted and disseminated through guided tours, artist talks, workshops, international exchanges, inter-departmental collaborations, free mentorships and other educational programmes, publishing and a range of other events and projects.

Since its inception, the RAVNIKAR initiative has been committed to the principles of accountable inclusivity, collaborative orientation and participatory artistic practices that lead to the empowerment of artists in the community of which it itself is a relevant part, in the many initiatives it conceives, leads or coordinates. Thus, today, after 6 years of operation, our platform goes beyond the simple definition of a gallery with an exhibition activity. We are active in various subfields of contemporary art and are involved in a number of cooperative, strategic orientations that pursue the production of exhibition projects of Slovenian and foreign artists, the presentation and promotion of Slovenian artists in the international space, the development of the domestic art market, formal and informal education, audience development, international promotion and distribution, publication production and sustainability in the artistic community. In addition to the fundamental exhibition series, these objectives are pursued through content such as the LJUBLJANA ART WEEKEND, the co-founding of the art magazine ETC., as well as through participation in reference art fairs, a programme of free mentoring, and international and local guest appearances and exchanges.

Contemporary art within the socio-political and cultural discourse is understood as a key generator for the dissemination of critical-actual thought, which is why our programme presents a selection of exceptionally engaged artists of the younger, middle and established generations who, through their experimental and fluid artistic expressions, reveal uniquely authentic imaginaries of their own world and the world around us. Their artistic practices bear witness to diverse reflections, emotions and perceptions of history and the present, both in a contemporary-social and potentially critical way. The extensive gallery programme consequently focuses on the presentation of a broad spectrum of contemporary visual arts, including (but not limited to) painting, sculpture, photography, digital art, intermedia and multimedia installations. In the period between 2017 and 2023, the gallery has organised more than 87 solo and group exhibition projects featuring more than 144 local and international artists.

RAVNIKAR is a member of the New Art Dealers Alliance, a non-profit arts organization dedicated to cultivating, supporting, and promoting new voices in contemporary art, and a member of the Gallery Climate Coalition, an international membership organization that establishes guidelines for environmental sustainability in the arts sector.

The program of the gallery is supported by the Municipality of Ljubljana and the Ministry of Culture.