Simona Vrabcova

Portraits of Slovak and Czech Britain 🇸🇰🇨🇿 📍Peggy Jay Gallery, London 🇬🇧 🇸🇰Výstava, ktorá prostredníctvom portrétov priblížila príbehy slovenskej a českej komunity žijúcej v Spojenom kráľovstve, sa včera v Londýne úspešne skončila. Viac než 40 fotografií zachytilo jednotlivcov, rodiny aj komunity naprieč generáciami. Od povojnových emigrantov až po súčasnú mladú generáciu. Projekt @slovaktheatrelondon v spolupráci s renomovaným fotografom @robertviglasky ponúkol autentický pohľad na identitu, pamäť a pocit spolupatričnosti Slovákov a Čechov v Británii. Každý portrét bol doplnený osobným príbehom, ktorý dotváral silný obraz života mimo domova. Výstava bola rozdelená do troch kapitol. Pioneers, Visionaries a Descendants. Spoločne vytvorili živý portrét diaspóry, ktorá je neoddeliteľnou súčasťou dnešnej Británie. 🇬🇧The exhibition that introduced the stories of the Slovak and Czech community living in the United Kingdom through portraits came to a successful close yesterday in London. More than 40 photographs captured individuals, families, and communities across generations. From post war emigrants to today’s younger generation. The project by @slovaktheatrelondon , in collaboration with renowned photographer @robertviglasky , offered an authentic look at identity, memory, and the sense of belonging of Slovaks and Czechs in Britain. Each portrait was accompanied by a personal story, creating a powerful and intimate picture of life away from home. The exhibition was divided into three chapters. Pioneers, Visionaries, and Descendants. Together, they formed a living portrait of a diaspora that is an integral part of contemporary Britain. 📸 Photography: @robertviglasky ℹ️ For more information, follow @slovaktheatrelondon @simonasparrow @bekoslava #ThisIsSlovakia #ThisIsCzechia #czechoslovakia

Is Central Europe becoming the next education hub? - By Simona Vrabcová For decades, students with global ambitions looked west — to the US and the UK. Central Europe remained in the background, despite its strong academic foundations. That is starting to change. Today, more students are rethinking where — and how — they study. Rising tuition fees, cost of living pressures, and visa restrictions are reshaping decisions. And in that shift, Central Europe is emerging as a serious alternative. Lower costs. Growing English-taught programs. Internationally recognized degrees. Cities like Košice, Brno, and Kraków are offering something increasingly valuable: quality education without the financial burden of Western systems. But it’s not just about affordability. Students are beginning to build cross-border pathways — studying in one country, gaining experience in another, and entering a global job market with a broader perspective. Central Europe may not replace traditional destinations. But it is no longer peripheral. 👉 Read more: https://spectator.sme.sk/_c/preview/public/5f0f3143-b19b-472e-9c99-e1bfd503f4b3/1/88c1c970ebe2a512f549d8c5ce6377bc — Thinking about studying in Europe? 🎓 STUDY IN EUROPE Expert guidance for choosing, applying, and starting university in Europe. We support students and parents at every stage — from selecting the right university to preparing strong applications and confidently beginning life abroad. 🌍 Give your child a global education and a gateway to the world. 👉 Book your FREE 15-minute consultation with Dr. Simona /study-in-europe #StudyInEurope #GlobalEducation #HigherEducation #StudentLife #GlobalSlovakia

Imagine doing something knowing from the start that it will never turn into a business, a career, or anything with a financial return. You already know there will be no return on investment. And you still do it. Not because it’s smart or strategic. Just because you care. That’s how Slovak Theatre London and Portraits of Slovak and Czech Britain started. From a genuine need to tell stories, to make people visible, to change narratives, because we believed it mattered. No hidden agenda. No side interest. And it was incredibly hard. We didn’t have resources, backing, or institutional support. Most big grant applications were rejected, some more than once. We had one bigger donor, a few smaller ones, around 30–50 people who supported us through crowdfunding, and one small grant. That’s it. The rest, we paid from our own pockets. Robert invested his own money and resources. I did too. As freelancers and students, without much spare money, and without any safety net. On top of that, we constantly had to explain what we were even trying to make. Not sell it. Explain it. Because it didn’t fit into a clear category, and the interest didn’t exist yet. We had to create it. Only once the exhibition existed did people really see why it mattered. The feedback from visitors and participants made it worth it, even though there were many moments of doubt and exhaustion. What stayed with me the most were the people I worked closely with. Robert @robertviglasky , for his talent, generosity, and belief in the project. And Rebeka @bekoslava , without whom I honestly don’t think I would have had the strength or motivation to finish it. Doing this together, and growing through it as friends, is what made it possible. This project gave me doubt, but also courage. Because if I can build something like this with no money, no guarantees, and no promise of return, I know what I’m capable of. And even if it never makes sense on paper, I know why we did it. And I would still do it again. 💪🏻🤍 #PortraitsofSlovakAndCzechBritain #slovaktheatrelondon #purpose #heart #project

⛰️ Weekend the Slovak Way 🇸🇰 If you want to understand Slovakia, spend a weekend in the mountains. For many Slovaks, it’s a ritual—leaving the city behind and heading into the High Tatras for fresh air, good food, and views that reset everything. Places like Monte Móry, above Štrbské Pleso, capture this perfectly. A historic lookout turned modern café and viewpoint, it sits at over 1,300 meters, offering panoramic views of the Tatras—where coffee tastes better, and time slows down. Originally built in the early 20th century by Karol Móry, this spot has long been a meeting place for travelers, hikers, and dreamers. Today, it continues that tradition—blending history, nature, and simple joy. A walk, a view, a warm drink… That’s a Slovak weekend. #Slovakia #HighTatras #MountainLife #WeekendVibes #TravelEurope

Second citizenship is more than a passport. It is freedom, opportunity, and the ability to build a life across borders. ✨🌍 For Simona, holding both her Slovak and British citizenship reflects a life shaped by two worlds — and the opportunities that come with embracing both. 🇸🇰🇬🇧 For many people of Slovak descent living abroad, reclaiming Slovak citizenship is not only about reconnecting with their roots, but also about creating greater freedom for the future. At Global Slovakia, we help people explore the life-changing opportunities that a second citizenship can provide. 💙 And if you’ve ever wondered whether your own Slovak roots could open a similar path, we are now offering FREE 15-minute consultations to help you explore your options. 📩 Email us at: 👉 [email protected] /slovakcitizenshipbydescent #Slovakia #Europe #Citizenship #Passport #GlobalSlovakia

Today I was live on STVR 24 News 😊! Thank you @jozef_dodo_kurilak for your insightful questions! It was a pleasure! We spoke about my project HERITAGE @claimyourheritage and the inspiration behind it — from my lifelong passion for history, acting and design to the desire to bring forgotten female figures from Slovak history back to life for contemporary audiences. The conversation touched on how visual storytelling, costume design, film, performance, and modern technologies can help us reconnect with cultural heritage in a way that feels emotional, accessible, and relevant today. We also discussed the importance of community, collaboration, and preserving Slovak identity while living abroad. HERITAGE became a part of the Creative Innovation Lab workshops created in collaboration with Arténa – Creative Centre STVR @artena_kreativne_centrum_stvr , exploring creativity, visual storytelling, identity, and the role of new technologies and AI in the creative process. Alongside my dear friend and colleague Simona Vrabcová @simonasparrow , Director of @slovaktheatrelondon , we are very proud that through projects like HERITAGE and our exhibition and the upcoming documentary Portraits of Slovak and Czech Britain, which Simona spoke about in her own STVR interview last week, we can continue representing Slovak culture and heritage both abroad and back home in Slovakia 🤍 📺 You can also watch the interview in the STVR archive. #STVR #HERITAGE #slovakia #design #history

Once you move abroad, your heart never fully belongs to just one place again. ✈️🌍 Migration changes you quietly. One day you realise your accent, memories, humour, dreams, and future belong to more than one country. 🤍 I was born into one identity and slowly built another alongside it. Slovak-British now, officially and forever. 🇸🇰🇬🇧✨🥹🫶🏻 Keď sa raz presťahujete do zahraničia, vaše srdce už nikdy nebude úplne patriť len jednému miestu. ✈️🌍 Migrácia človeka mení potichu. Jedného dňa si uvedomíte, že váš prízvuk, spomienky, humor, sny aj budúcnosť patria viac než jednej krajine. 🤍 Narodila som sa do jednej identity a popri nej si postupne vybudovala ďalšiu. Slovenka a Britka, oficiálne a navždy. 🥹🫶🏻🇸🇰🇬🇧✨ #slovak #british #identity #cititenship #passport

Krásny Deň matiek! Happy Mother’s Day! 😍🥰❤️ Ak niekedy budem mať deti, dúfam, že budem aspoň z polovice taká mama, ako si ty. 🥹🫶🏻 📸 @michaela.durisova @magaela_accessories #mothersday #denmatiek

Dnes som bola naživo v Správach STVR 24 🎥 Ďakujem za rozhovor @jozef_dodo_kurilak Rozprávali sme sa o spolupráci s Arténou- Kreatívnym centrom STVR na workshopoch Creative Innovation Lab, o práci so slovenskou diaspórou, ale aj o projektoch akými sú Slovenské divadlo v Londýne a výstava a dokumentárny filmPortréty slovenskej a českej Británie. Témou boli osobné príbehy, identita, kreativita a aj to, ako nové technológie a AI ovplyvňujú spôsob, akým dnes tvoríme a rozprávame naše príbehy 🤍 📺 Záznam si môžete pozrieť aj v archíve STVR — Today I was live on STVR 24 News ✨ We spoke about the collaboration with Arténa - Creative Centre STVR on the Creative Innovation Lab workshops, working with the Slovak diaspora, as well as projects such as our @slovaktheatrelondon and Portraits of Slovak and Czech Britain. The conversation touched on personal stories, identity, creativity, and how new technologies and AI are influencing the way we create and tell stories today 🤍 📺 You can also watch the interview in the STVR archive. #STVR #SlovakTheatreLondon #CreativeInnovationLab #Diaspora #AI

🌍 Study in Europe from $1,500 a year — or even for free!! 📩 Book your FREE 15-minute consultation with Dr. Simona 👉🏻 https://lnkd.in/ddhJ8hv9 An experienced higher education advisor who studied in Europe herself [email protected] Imagine giving your child access to world-class education without the $60,000 price tag. Reconnect with your roots, experience a new culture, and open doors to global opportunities — all while making a smart financial decision. 🎓 The key? Start early. The best options — including low-cost or even tuition-free pathways — are available to families who plan ahead, not just in the final year. We guide students and families every step of the way — from choosing the right country and university to building strong, successful applications. ✨ A brighter future doesn’t have to come with a heavy cost. #StudyInEurope #GlobalSlovakia #StudyAbroad #InternationalStudents

4 May 2015. Eleven years ago. I was 19! 😱 I had been in London for just 7 months. Studying, waitressing, surviving, and applying to every casting I could find, completely on my own. No agent, just persistence (and a lot of rejection). Then this happened. I didn’t even realise what the shoot was for… until someone sent me a photo: “Is that you?” And suddenly I was on billboards across London. Tube, buses, taxis. At the same time, I was also doing promo jobs, sometimes standing on the street dressed as a giant lip balm, handing out leaflets… literally watching buses go by with my face on them. Two completely different worlds. Same month. Same city. That was London. Those jobs got me through. They paid my rent, supported my studies, and gave me space to start building my own projects. I didn’t have confidence. I just ignored the fear and did it anyway. And maybe that’s what stayed with me the most. I’ve never been just one thing. And I don’t want to be. I’ve tried different paths, roles, worlds, and I still do. Even when people expect you to choose one lane, one identity. What I am, though, is independent. And this year, for the first time, I chose that consciously. To create my own work. To build my own projects. To bring people together through them. Next step? Not just being on billboards… but creating the work that ends up there. 💪🏻😁 #Throwback #LondonLife #CreativeJourney #Independence

Workshopy v Birminghame úspešne za nami ✨ v rámci projektu Creative Innovation Lab @artena_kreativne_centrum_stvr . Viac ako 30 účastníkov, nové zručnosti a skvelé ohlasy 👩‍🎓👨‍🎓 Chceš sa naučiť pracovať s AI a tvoriť reels? 🤖🎬 Sleduj @slovaktheatrelondon @claimyourheritage a @artena_kreativne_centrum_stvr , pripravujeme ďalšie workshopy a webináre. EN: Our Birmingham workshops are successfully completed ✨ as part of the Creative Innovation Lab project for ARTENA. 30+ participants, new skills and great feedback 👩‍🎓👨‍🎓 Want to learn AI and reel editing skills? 🤖🎬 Follow us, more workshops and webinars coming soon. #slovacivzahranici #workshops #AI #reel