KUL.TURISTA presents supported community projects in 2024

1. Association of Residents of Třebotovice – Kaliště with the Project "Festivities in Třebotovice"

📅 Event Date: Saturday, July 20th, Třebotovice
Program: A neighborhood gathering—bringing together locals, both long-time residents and newcomers, former and current neighbors, former students of the old school, and friends of Třebotovice and Kaliště.

For over twenty years, the association has been exploring the history and landscape of these two villages and their surrounding areas. They plant alleys, restore old communal paths, and protect natural springs. The gathering of long-time residents, natives, newcomers, friends, and current inhabitants of the two interconnected villages was enriched by the physical recording of the oral history of the village and its surrounding landscape. Exhibitions of old photographs, maps, and documents were held in the local pottery workshop, pub, and chapel. There were screenings of old videos and photographs accompanied by storytelling from residents during a communal dinner in the local pub. Two guided walks around the area took place, revealing many answers and "aha moments": Where are the functional and forgotten springs around the villages? How should they be best cared for? Why does water continually appear on current paths or in gardens? Where did the original paths lead, and why? Where did their ancestors walk to school? Where and why were battles fought nearby, and what did it mean for the residents? How many locals still remember these events?

Especially for this event, residents who were born or grew up in the area, have roots there but no longer live there, returned to participate. The residents came together and shared many new memories.

Moving forward, all historical records will continue to be developed. There is also significant potential in utilizing the local pottery workshop—not only for residents but for all their shared projects.

2. Community of Smetanka Residents (B. Smetany Street) with the Project "Reviving the Street"

📅 September 26th

Program: Neighborhood celebration with live music and greenery planting

📅 November 14th

Program: Workshop on creating bird feeders and Christmas decorations to be placed along the street

This project centers around the community of a single street in the Prague suburbs: “We live in the same place, but we pass each other by. We walk down a street designed more for parking cars than for living.”

The "Green Smetanka" project is an initiative to revitalize public space through greenery and human activity. The plan includes planting two small flower and greenery islands and organizing two neighborhood gatherings—one with live music and the planting of greenery, and one autumn workshop for making bird feeders and Christmas decorations, which will then be displayed on the street.

These shared neighborhood events and activities have the potential to become more than just gardening or crafting sessions. They can highlight the needs and expectations of residents for the place they live in. They can tell stories, build connections to the area and other neighbors, and demonstrate the values and demands that residents naturally have for dense urban environments.

3. Community of Linecké Suburb – Povltaví with the Project to Develop a Community Garden

This community, located in a residential area beneath the hospital, collaborates and builds friendships with residents across the "other bank of the Vltava" in the Luční Jez neighborhood. They regularly meet, plan, and organize various events together.

The community garden at Linecké Suburb was established last year on the grounds of the local school (Grünwaldova Elementary School). Local residents aim to transform the garden into a vibrant gathering place for neighborhood activities, including a more structured (cultural) program. Planned activities include film screenings and a contest for the best eggnog. Starting in September, they plan to involve local students more in their activities. Along with a local urban artist, they will enhance the shelter already present in the garden.

The project is also beginning to compile a comprehensive historical overview of interesting sites within the neighborhood. Large-format banners with information about specific houses or villas, along with details about their original and current owners, are being created.

One challenge the community faces is coming up with a new and satisfying name for their neighborhood, as current residents do not feel connected to the existing name. They also plan to develop a concept for artistically representing symbols that will represent the neighborhood. Will this effort help unite the residents of an otherwise relatively closed-off community?

4. Salesian Youth Center of České Budějovice with the Project "Clubhouse at the Square by KD Vltava"

The Salesians have been active in České Budějovice for over forty years. The center offers leisure activities, educates, and provides support to children and young people in difficult situations, helping them lead independent and fulfilling lives.

The new clubhouse offers programs for children and youth right in the heart of the Vltava housing estate, an area that has long lacked connection to the local community. The clubhouse creates a safe space for gatherings and provides attractive activities, particularly for older children.

Through the Kul.turista program, the clubhouse's offerings were tailored to better meet the needs of local teenagers. An artist was also involved, and the project began working with the public space. Building on these Kul.turista principles, the clubhouse leaders will incorporate them into a new regular program. Starting in September, children and teenagers will collaborate with a graffiti artist to design and create a new visual look for the clubhouse. This decaying building will be transformed into a place that belongs to the local youth, helping them feel connected to it. This transformation will also revitalize the currently empty square. Since the building is slated for future renovation, this project provides an excellent opportunity to experiment with bold and creative expressions.

The Salesians are also connected with other local organizations, and together they are beginning to revitalize the space, drawing in local children and youth. The Vltava housing estate could receive a new boost and greater appreciation through these efforts.

5. hROM CB with the Project "C-BOOK"

The goal of the hROM association is to support and strengthen the abilities of the Roma community in České Budějovice, helping them recognize their identity, achieve independence, and make free decisions. They aim to place responsibility in the hands of the Roma community, teach them how to manage it, and create the necessary space for it. While their physical presence is in the Máj housing estate, their influence extends throughout the city.

In addition to promoting integration and establishment, hROM also brings the Roma community closer to other city residents and to the community itself. They offer examples of hope, determination, and positive change. One tool for changing perceptions is the so-called C-BOOK, which they have developed further as part of the Kul.turista program.

Until recently, the C-BOOK existed only as a paper catalog of significant Roma personalities—a collection of names in a folder. Each page contained a brief outline of the person’s story and accomplishments. Now, the C-BOOK is evolving to show much more: presenting and sharing powerful stories in various forms, illustrating possibilities, and providing role models. The message is clear: nothing is impossible!

The C-BOOK has now taken on additional tasks, becoming a more complex tool for change and understanding "different" cultures. It serves as a medium for intercultural dialogue, connecting people. It aims to be valuable to everyone—the general public and the Roma community alike.

As part of the project, ten short audiovisual messages (video spots) featuring personalities from the current paper version of the C-BOOK will be produced this fall. Each person will reflect on the theme of change—what does change mean to them personally? How could societal change look in the context of positive perceptions of different communities, individuals, their customs, culture, and traditions?

These spots will be shown in public spaces and at public events, sparking discussions and debates in which the featured individuals will also participate. They will share their stories, inspire others, and bring different perspectives closer together. The goal is to reveal the commonalities within diversity and promote shared values.

And this is just the beginning...

1. Živá Vila – Prachatice

📅 Event Dates: August 4th – 8th and Fall 2024, Kendeho Villa, Prachatice
Program: Concerts, cultural events, neighborhood gatherings, and garden presentation to the public, celebrating the community

The Kralova Villa has fostered an incredibly strong community of people dedicated to preserving it, highlighting its uniqueness, and exploring its potential uses. The project aims to restore the villa's dignity and expand its facilities by transforming the former garden behind the house into a magical space. The goal is to make the garden accessible to the public, creating a space for relaxation, socializing, and active leisure for children, which is lacking in the city. The area, called the White Wigwam, is envisioned as “a small paradise, a place where people feel good, just like the members of the association and the visitors to the villa.”

Throughout the summer and fall, several events will be held in the garden for the villa’s community, local residents, and the general public: concerts, residencies, workshops, intuitive dance lessons, neighborhood gatherings, film screenings, Open Garden Day, the Vivat Vila festival, and a summer day camp in collaboration with the family club Tukan.

The neglected garden space is gradually being transformed—terrain adjustments are underway, and remnants from its recent "use" are being removed. The association is adding play elements for children (teepees, sandboxes, slides), as well as features for community and neighborhood gatherings (outdoor seating, pizza oven, grill, fire pit, etc.).

A community garden with raised beds is also being established. These beds are gradually offered to locals. The garden now includes gardening facilities, herb beds, a flower meadow, and beehives.

Thus, a vibrant public space is emerging, blending tranquility and the charm of the place with gardening, socializing, and culture. It provides a peaceful retreat for parents with children and could serve as a pleasant refuge for travelers waiting at the nearby train station. Overall, it aims to offer local residents many opportunities: a place to retreat, spend quality time, relax, learn, have fun, connect, play, and create.

2. Krafferova Zahrada – Jindřichův Hradec

📅 Event Date: August 17th, Krafferova Garden, Jindřichův Hradec
Program: "Řekni, kde ty kytky jsou" (EN: Tell Me, Where Are the Flowers?)

This event is inspired by the tumultuous history of the garden during the past regime. The accompanying program includes:

• Workshop: "Den, kdy se mlčelo" (The Day Silence Fell) – An experiential workshop with Pamětí národa focusing on the transformation of Czech villages during collectivization.
• Vox Populi: A booth recording personal stories from the Garden.
• Podcast "Přepište dějiny" (Rewriting History): "State and Property" (live recording of the popular historical podcast with Michal Stehlík and Martin Groman).
• Summer Cinema: Screening of "Rebelové" (Rebels).

Throughout the summer, two exhibitions will take place: "Příběh jedné výjimečné zahrady" (The Story of an Extraordinary Garden) in the courtyard of the State Castle and Chateau Jindřichův Hradec and "Procházka historií zahrady" (A Walk Through the Garden's History) directly in Krafferova Garden.

The garden, which today serves as a meeting place and a peaceful refuge for locals, aims to become even more open to the community and build a strong local presence. To achieve this, it is involving more residents in its program and collaborating with local school students.

The garden, with its rich and poignant history extending into the distant past, seeks to be revitalized and narrated together with the community. The project has set out to record the memories of the garden's old-timers—memories from childhood, youth, the times when the garden was closed and neglected, and the rediscovery of its charm after the revolution. These memories will inspire students, who will process them into short animated works during the fall.

Thus, personal stories of this garden in the center of Jindřichův Hradec will come to life—stories that locals remember from childhood: a overgrown and mysterious place behind a wall, with huge abandoned greenhouses. How many times has a stone from a child's hand shattered its glass? How much unbroken glass remains? How long have they been here and for whom? What is the history of the family that established and cared for them? What is the story of this place, my street, my town, and the region?

3. Naplaveno – Jistebnicko

📅 Event Date: September 28th
Program: Svatováclavská Potulka (St. Wenceslas Stroll) as part of the "Propojeni krajinou" (Connecting Landscapes) program, Stružinec, Jistebnicko (Tábor)

Route: 9 km long walk between villages

As part of the accompanying program, there will be a theatrical performance of "Katanari" and a meeting with Luďek Čertík – poet, musician, photographer, and one of the team members of the Traveling Nature University – at Čajovna Na Stezce (Tea House on the Path).

The association creates a place that is “far from the city and where you can meet (yourself) differently.” The cottage with the barn serves as a space for residencies, artistic creation, and relaxation. Connected with the local landscape and permeated by nature, the project explores the beauty and value of the landscape right outside the door in a new and personal way. Nature is a theme for the association that spans artistic, psychological, environmental, and political dimensions. How do the locals perceive it? Why is it important to appreciate and protect it? What feelings might it evoke?

And how can we grasp, feel, and experience the Jistebnicko landscape as viewers? The path connects two villages with two settlements and one outlying house. On this journey, you will see, hear, and encounter the landscape in a different way – through installations, small performative actions, texts, meetings, and sounds – guided by musicians, poets, sculptors, and performers from near and far.

“We need to walk more into the landscape, be in it, communicate with it, and carry it home with us. We want to study more deeply what walking brings us and what arises from walking. We know we will discover this only on the path. We also know that walking is not just our need but the need and desire of many people who surround us. Therefore, we want to invite others from near and far to the Jistebnicko landscape, to be in it with them, to perceive it together, to explore it deeply, and to talk about it. Walk the restored paths with the Okrašlovací spolek Nadějkovska (Nadějkovska Beautification Association) and highlight them. Connect several organizations that focus on protecting the local landscape. Ask: What does being in the landscape do to me? How does it transform me? What can I see, observe, listen to, and how does it help me feel happy when I allow myself to be in it?”

4. Association House Slavonice

📅 September 27 – October 3, 2024, Slavonice
Program: Architecture Days, Lectures, Workshops, Community Events, Networking, and Accompanying Program – land art, exhibitions, light installations, and other cultural activities.

Association house has been providing enlightenment in the fields of architecture, design, and landscape for many years at a national level.

Their current project deepens the experience and offers locals a new perspective on public space. This is achieved not only through a creative toolkit focused on architecture but also by encouraging residents to reflect on public space – posing questions such as: What should be in public spaces and why? What purpose should it serve? How should it be interpreted, and what values should it carry? Topics such as sustainability, ecology, and environmental sensitivity are also highlighted. This multi-month participatory process will culminate during the autumn week.

The project will bring discussions about public space, the surrounding architecture, and artistic interventions to the local community.

5. Táborská Jednota na Cestě

📅 July 30 – August 8, 2024, Tábor
Program: Community Week

The program took place at the community-cultural space of Ctibor's Mill, which is gradually coming to life and creating a unique place called Cesta. Historically linked to music and artistic residencies, Cesta aims to connect with local residents and the community. It is located just a few steps from the city center, in the Tismenický Stream valley, near a popular trail frequently used by locals.

Cesta wants to make it clear that it is open to everyone and that all are welcome.

During the Community Week, a survey and interviews were conducted with neighbors, local residents, event organizers at Cesta, and users of the community garden. Based on the gathered information, a comprehensive concept and vision for the use and revitalization of the space will be developed. The place hosted workshops and studios for the public, concerts, communal lunches and dinners, regular morning yoga classes, and a pop-up café throughout the week.

Under the guidance of the UMPRUM Illustration and Graphics Studio, a unique artistic design for Cesta's facade will be created. Local residents will also participate in its realization and creation.

The mill known as Cesta aims to be a place accessible to the general public and their activities. As a residential space, it can also be a great opportunity for participatory art.

It offers a setting, refuge, tranquility, and harmony. It is a place for music and a vibrant community garden. It is a place for conversations and poetry. And the local community wants to make it their own!

6. Broumovsko

📅October 26, Broumovsko
Program: Who's Afraid Must Go to the Forest

How to get inspired and connect with organizations from South Bohemia? Through Kul.turista! Thanks to our relationships and collaboration with the Broumov 28 team, this year's Kul.turista program includes the Broumovská Fara Hoprich, collaborating on a community project with Villa Strooikaas.

Their project is directly funded by Česká spořitelna.

At the Fara Hoprich in Martínkovice, a bookstore/reading room will be opened to the public. The all-day program will feature DIY book repair workshops led by local crafters and artists (Studio Upupaepop, Jan Hamerský, etc.), a community performance by Eliška Perglerová and Lenka Kerdová inspired by the Contemplative Rules project, and a sound workshop led by musician Adam Parks (USA).

After dark, we will light a fire and embark on a solitary pilgrimage through the forest. Following the tradition of "paths of courage," pilgrims will join artist and performer Heidi Hornáčková in "illuminating" the dark forest on Hoprich Hill, which is shrouded in mysterious tales and folk legends. The night forest is a place of fear and danger for many, but it is possible that we simply do not understand it well — that we do not understand the language of plants, animals, and people that inhabit it. This focused night pilgrimage will offer a new perspective on how to perceive this unfamiliar space and lead us, transformed, to the other side of the hill, to Otovice, and to the fire at Villa Strooikaas.

A full-night musical program will follow, featuring performers from South Bohemia. This night will be spent together, either awake or sleeping, but we will be together. The shared night will create a new space for sharing and cohabitation. We will celebrate the coming light with breakfast and some small craft work at the Otovice Krám s krámy (antique museum).