Starting from the fact that the idea of autonomy appears in the very name of Autonomous Cultural Centre Metelkova City, the article on the one hand outlines the general concept of autonomy in the field of art and the conditions that made its emergence possible, while on the other hand it delves into the particularities of autonomy that is characteristic of Metelkova. Inasmuch as the latter is known to possess a subcultural or alternative character, it is necessary to clearly define the practices that correspond to this characterization. It is argued that a practice can be understood as alternative only if it aims to annul the existing social relations. An alternative practice also cannot be deemed autonomous without doing away with both the concept of authorship as well as the notion of a work of art being a finalized singular product.