Simon Kardum (1962) is a cultural policy strategist, dramaturg, critic and feature writer. He graduated in Slovene and philosophy from the Faculty of Arts in 1988. Between 1988 and 1997 he worked as a dramaturg for contemporary theatre production (Helios Theatre, Abaddon), artistic director (Exodos Festival 1994–1996), lecturer (GILŠ theatre and puppetry school in Ljubljana) and above all as one of the most prominent critics and writers on art, culture and cultural policy. Between 1997 and 2005 he worked at the Ministry of Culture as the advisor of the minister for performing arts, the Head of Department for Art and of the Sector for Culture-Art Programmes; and acting Director-General of the Directorate for Art. He participated in the development of Ministry’s major projects (e.g. Multimedia Centre Network) and strategic programmes (including the Act Regulating the Realisation of the Public Interest in the Field of Culture, 2002; National Programme for Culture, 2004–2007) and served as Secretary of the National Council for Culture. In disagreement with the cultural policy of the Janez Janša cabinet, he resigned in 2005 and worked as a freelance journalist. 2006. In 2006 he became head of programme at Cerknica Cultural Centre, in 2008 acting director and in 2009 the director of Kino Šiška Centre for Urban Culture.
