The Brno Culture Newsletter presents an overview of upcoming events and opportunities concerning theatres, clubs and other cultural events in Brno.
Dear fans of Brno culture,
The stalemate over the Chleborád Villa has come to an end, a good end. I began discussing a possible solution with Bishop Pavel Konzbul sometime in the spring, and we finally agreed to exchange the villa for the former school on Jánská Street. The church will pay the difference in price, which is estimated at around CZK 53 million. This means we can gradually begin to work on the plan to open the Leoš Janáček Museum in the villa, while finally putting adequate conditions in place for the composer’s archive, listed in the UNESCO Memory of the World International Register. Another two of Brno’s valuable buildings, both already in the care of the Brno City Museum, are also awaiting their new life: We’re starting to look for a contractor to make structural alterations to the Měnín Gate. These will include repairs to the floors, the electrical wiring and the façade, the construction of a new staircase for the tower area, and an elevator to be installed in the building. Everything necessary to make this building in the city centre, which has been closed for four years, a popular spot for visitors again. And the Wittal Villa in Pisárky will be refurbished as the unique Štetl Centre for Jewish Culture. If everything goes according to plan, this will happen in 2028.
Finally, I'd like to return once more to Janáček. Allow me to express my appreciation to the organisers and dramaturgs of this year's Janáček Brno Festival, which is now drawing to an end, as well as to the Brno National Theatre Opera Company for its novel, boldly creative staging of The Excursions of Mr Brouček, the première of which opened this year's festival. This is exactly how the link between Janáček and Brno is supposed to resonate. to enable it to be heard far beyond the boundaries of the city.
Wishing you a diverse and enjoyable cultural autumn
Markéta Vanková
Mayor of the City of Brno
FROM US FOR YOU
We're planning a conference on non-grant cultural fundraising
Interested in alternative ways of financing culture? Want to learn more about crowdfunding or working with investors from the private sector? Then we're preparing a conference for you in cooperation with the Centre for Experimental Theatre and Articula, a cultural non-grant fundraising platform, the only one of its kind in the Czech Republic. It is the first conference focused on non-grant fundraising in the cultural sphere. Not only will the conference be a chance to gain an insight into the theory and trends of cultural fundraising, donation and sponsorship, we will also be presenting the whole topic in all its shapes and forms, as well as the intricacies involved in working with the private and corporate sectors. The conference will take place on 25 November at 10 a.m. in the large hall of the Goose on a String Theatre. Admission to the event is free, but for capacity reasons you need to sign up for it in advance HERE
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Culture Brno Workshop: Culture and the Creative Industries Strategy and opportunities for participation
In collaboration with other partners, we’ve launched a series of educational workshops for the cultural and creative scene. More about the workshops HERE.
In October we focused on international cooperation, and November sees us return to Brno. We're preparing a workshop dedicated to a key document outlining the city's long-term plans to support local culture and the creative industries. During the workshop we will explain what the strategy is, how it was created, and how you can get involved in it and in specific projects. In addition, the Culture and the Creative Industries Strategy is due to be re-written for the period 2025-2035, so this is the perfect time for you to pass on your suggestions and ideas.
The workshop takes place on 27 November. You need to sign up for it using the registration form as capacity is limited. The venue will be specified in the confirmation email and on the Culture Brno Facebook profile.
Results of the grant programme marking the 130th anniversary of the birth of Bohuslav Fuchs
In the coming year, Brno will be commemorating the jubilee of the "father of Brno functionalism", Bohuslav Fuchs. In November, the Brno City Assembly approved the funding of CZK 1,871,000 for a total of 12 cultural projects as part of a subsidy programme to commemorate the 130th anniversary of the birth of architect Bohuslav Fuchs. These range from audio-walks and theatre performances to inflatable sculptures and concerts. An overview of the approved projects will be posted in the next few days HERE.
You can read more about the celebration of the anniversary of Bohuslav Fuchs in future issues of our newsletter and on our other communication channels Culture Brno and Sculpture Brno.
How did the 19th Brno Cultural Forum go?
The 19th Cultural Forum is over. On 22 October, we met at the KUMST creative hub to discuss the Role of Culture and Creativity in the Development of Brno. Thank you to everyone who came along, performed or helped to organise this event. Yet we haven’t forgotten those who missed the forum this time. We’re working hard to put together a video recording of the event. You can while away the time as you wait for this by checking out our summary of the event with presentations and photo galleries.
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Organ for the Janáček Cultural Centre
In parallel with the preparations for the construction of the Janáček Cultural Centre, a public contract is under way for the supply of a concert organ. The organ for the new concert hall will be assessed by an expert working group appointed by Brno City Council, which has already started its work. The appointed experts will be involved in all the important steps, from the specification of the instrument, checking that the tender documentation is correct, and carrying out an expert assessment of the bids received.
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You can also get involved in all this through the Organ for Brno public fundraiser. You can find that HERE.
Villa Wittal now belongs to the Brno City Museum
With the transfer of Villa Wittal, an exquisite piece of architecture from 1932 designed by architect Heinrich Blum, to the management of the Brno City Museum, preparations are now under way for the reconstruction of the building. The villa will be home to the ŠTETL Centre for Jewish Culture. The first task is to prepare the project documentation and other necessary steps to start the reconstruction work, to which the city has contributed CZK 7,139,000. The city will also provide CZK 272,000 including VAT to fund the security of the building and the preparation of an application for an EEA and Norway Grant.
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What will happen to the Chleborád Villa?
The Chleborád Villa is inseparably linked with Leoš Janáček, one of the 20th century's most important composers and a symbol of Brno. It was there that he ran an organ school from 1906, and lived and worked in the garden house there for the rest of his life. The building also houses his archive, listed in the UNESCO Memory of the World International Register. The exchange with the Bishopric of Brno for the old school in Jánská ulice transferred ownership of the villa to the city. This will bring the building closer to becoming an attractive place for the presentation and exploration of Leoš Janáček's life and work.
Residence within the Villa Bohêma project: Brno is to be visited by a Czech-French artist and writer.
Together with the French Institute in Prague, the Moravian Library in Brno and the Czech Centre in Paris, we are organising a residency for writers and translators.
In November, the first resident will be Czech-French artist and writer Lenka Horňáková-Civade, winner of several literary prizes (Prix Renaudot des lycéens, Prix Richelieux de la Francophonie and Prix littéraire des jeunes européens) and Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters.
As part of her residency, we invite you to a "Meeting and discussion about books - from the French original to the mother tongue". Lenka Horňáková-Civade will present her books and will also be reading excerpts from her novels. In addition, there will be a debate on the themes of the novels and how they have been received in both countries, on the conversations between Rembrandt and Comenius in the painter's studio, and on a new writing project currently under way in Brno.
The reading will take place on 9 December at 5 p.m. at the Jiří Mahen Library at Kobližná 4.
The writer will also lead creative writing and illustration workshops at Alliance Française Brno for primary and secondary school students. The creative workshops are free of charge, but you need to register in advance:
Creative workshops
Friday, 22 November
1 - 3 p.m. - How to Write a Story (in Czech), REGISTER
4 - 6 p.m. - How to Write a Story (in French), REGISTER
Friday, 6 December
1 - 3 p.m. - Creative Illustration for pupils of primary schools and lower years of multi-year grammar schools (in Czech), REGISTRATION
4 - 6 p.m. - Creative Illustration for secondary school students including four-year grammar schools and higher years of multi-year grammar schools (in Czech), REGISTRATION
Unveiling of the plaque commemorating the victims of the political trial of Oto Mádr
The memorial plaque dedicated to the victims of one of Brno’s biggest political trials, known as the trial of Oto Mádr and Co., has been completed. The sculpture commemorates the fate of people who bravely defended the ideals of democracy, morality and freedom during the communist totalitarianism region and were not afraid to lay down their lives for their beliefs.
The memorial plaque is inscribed with the year of the trial and wording that explains the significance of the site: "On 11-13 June 1952, this hall was the site of the 'Oto Mádr and Co.' political trial. Ten prominent spiritual, scientific and public figures were sentenced to extremely harsh sentences." The memorial plaque is the work of academic sculptor Jiří Sobotka. You can find it in the interior of the Sokol building on Kounicova ulice, where it will be unveiled on 17 November at 3 p.m.
OPPORTUNITIES
We’re looking for a lawyer-analyst to join the Culture Brno team
Got a legal background and a passion for culture? Then don’t wait around and send us your application for the position of lawyer-analyst. The job will involve auditing cultural grant recipients and municipal cultural organisations, where you will also be dealing with rentals. The closing date for applications is 22 November 2024.
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We’re looking for an economist-analyst to join the Culture Brno team
Want to broaden your horizons and get a behind-the-scenes look at the work of cultural organisations and artists? Not afraid by the word audit? Join our Culture Department team! The job mainly involves auditing cultural grant recipients and municipal cultural organisations. The closing date for applications is 26 November 2024.
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Want to be part of the Eurocities International Cultural Conference?
Within the Eurocities network, we’ve won the call to host an international cultural forum from 24-26 September 2025. This gives Brno a unique opportunity to raise its profile as a cultural and creative centre and a partner for cooperation across Europe. We’ve called the forum Infrastructure - the Building Block of a Developed Cultural and Creative Scene. We’ll be focusing on shared multifunctional, cultural and creative centres, the use of long-term unoccupied spaces/locations and brownfields, as well as cultural heritage and how to make it more accessible. Got a tip on which institution or project should be included in the programme? Get in touch with us before the end of the year.
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Join the Creative Innovation Lab call 2025
As part of the Creative Europe programme, you can now join the Creative Innovation Lab call for 2025! This call aims to support the design, development or dissemination of innovative tools, models or solutions applicable to the audiovisual and other cultural and creative industries. The call is centred on cross-sectoral cooperation between the audiovisual sector and other creative industries and aims to motivate people to come up with innovative ways of solving problems that will have a positive impact across the cultural and creative sector.
The preparations for the call include a webinar, to be held on 16 January 2025. Details about it can be found HERE.
The call is open until 24 April 2025.
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