Sustaining Creative Work: Satisfaction of Classical Music Composers with Institutional Support in Slovakia

This paper explores Slovak composers’ perceptions of institutional support, specifically examining grants and subsidies, and how these mechanisms influence creative autonomy. Drawing on Bourdieu’s theory of symbolic power and Sapiro’s cultural mediation, the study analyses key indicators of satisfaction, identifies systemic obstacles, and discusses the bureaucratic dimensions of grant systems. Based on original quantitative study involving thirty-three respondents and twenty-nine structured questions, the study analyses key indicators of satisfaction, identifies systemic obstacles, and discusses the symbolic and bureaucratic dimensions of grant systems. The findings reveal a striking discrepancy: While composers report relatively high success rates in obtaining grants, their overall satisfaction remains moderate, hindered in particular by administrative burdens. The article interprets these results using the concepts of institutional autonomy, symbolic power (Bourdieu), and cultural mediation (Sapiro).