KUL.TURISTA IS BACK!

What’s coming up?

KUL.TURISTA

After winning the title of European Capital of Culture (ECoC)

What is it?

Kul.turista provides residents with the opportunity to engage in the program of České Budějovice 2028. Culture in the city is created by all of us—it can take place beyond the walls of theaters, museums, or libraries. Through Kul.turista, culture is taking strong roots in the city and the entire region, becoming a permanent part of residents' lives.

What is the goal? 

The goal of Kul.turista is to build strong and independent communities and resilient neighborhoods. It aims to create opportunities for improving and revitalizing the relationships among locals and with the places they inhabit. By 2028, it will gradually connect communities from the so-called tri-border area (Southern Bohemia, Upper Austria, and Lower Bavaria), allowing them to get to know each other, exchange ideas, and learn from one another through community and cultural events.

Kul.turista strengthens, connects, and teaches.

The Kul.turista project is and will be a space for community creation and expression. Its task for this year is to provide communities and their leaders with the tools to work better and more independently. It aims to develop their ideas and projects and show them new possibilities and ways of working.

This guide provides a brief overview of the most common challenges you may encounter when organizing community or cultural events and other activities in public spaces. It is designed to make it easier for those who want to temporarily revitalize the public space of the city. Most principles and procedures for occupying public space remain somewhat consistent, even in commercial, sports, charitable, and other cases. Therefore, this guide can be generally beneficial and serve anyone looking to utilize public space in the city or engage in public activities.

KUL.TURISTA

reflection

In the first round, we received very positive feedback about Kul.turista; it would be a shame not to harness this energy. Thus, Kul.turista will now extend beyond the city and into the region. As part of our 28 Houses platform, which brings together cultural centers (and one garden), we have fantastic partners in the region who will host Kul.turista in their towns as part of the first joint project.

Through this project, we aim to contribute to the creation of a network that will provide support, inspiration, and experience to regional cultural organizations. These cultural organizations serve as hubs of culture in their districts and neighborhoods. They are now becoming important carriers of the cultural, artistic, and participatory program for Budějovice 2028. The platform includes large cultural institutions such as Sladovna Písek, the Regional Museum of Český Krumlov, AJG - Hluboká nad Vltavou, alongside Švestkový dvůr, Rezi.dance Komařice, the Municipal Cultural Center in Bechyně, Naplaveno Jistebnice, the Cultural Center Prádelna, and Kraffer's Garden in Jindřichův Hradec.

Kul.turista in the region is a pilot project of the 28 Houses platform, which is designed to connect cultural centers in the region and collaboratively create or present programs as part of the ECoC initiative. Regional cultural institutions are important partners for the ECoC, facilitating the involvement of not only the city but also the region and, in the future, cross-border areas.

We have divided the region into five ethnographic areas: Prácheňsko, Doudlebsko, Blata, Kozácko, and Pošumaví. The goal is also to showcase local culture and its specific characteristics.

Each area includes specific towns and cultural institutions that already have their own audiences. From March to June, a diverse program of Kul.turista will take place here, including exhibitions, theater performances, concerts, neighborhood celebrations, guided walks, and many more activities.

KUL.TURISTA PROGRAM

Kul.turista has toured with its cultural tourist office in České Budějovice.

In the past months, Kul.turista has parked its caravan—cultural tourist office—seven times in different neighborhoods! Together, we set out to explore the culture of our own city.

Do you still think that culture is only in the center?

Right from the beginning of our work, we realized that the residents of České Budějovice have been conditioned to look for culture only in the center. We decided to show that there is plenty to appreciate in the other neighborhoods as well and that we all contribute to creating culture."

Kul.turista was given the following tasks

• Mapping the city and all its neighborhoods.
• Informing residents about the candidacy and involving them in it—this should be a candidacy for all of us.
• Connecting stakeholders (some institutions, communities, and organizations operating in the same neighborhood were unaware of each other and their activities or programs). We wanted to kickstart their collaborations or even facilitate the exchange and sharing of their spaces.
• Trying to raise residents' awareness of the places where they live, work, and simply pass through. Exploring the relationship between residents and the places in which they live.

We began reaching out to communities, organizations, clubs, groups, active individuals, institutions, schools and kindergartens, as well as local historians and experts operating in individual neighborhoods. Our goal was to energize communities and neighborhoods, to ignite and awaken the entire city. We aimed to engage residents, build on traditions, and establish new ones. We emphasized the history and uniqueness of the neighborhoods and sought to utilize public spaces.

And so our journey began. We participated in various activities, met different residents, gained and documented new perspectives on the city, and discussed visions for the year 2028 with you.

"Where did you encounter the cultural tourist office, and what did we experience together?"

From March to September, each month in a different neighborhood.

The caravan was stationed for four days at a time, from Thursday to Sunday, in a different location. We joyfully observed the activities of the local residents and organizations.

Through the cultural tourist office, the rest of the city could also embark on a journey of discovery and exploration of the neighborhoods, their residents, and interesting places and buildings

We became cultural tourists in our own city

Kul.turista stops

24. 3. - 27. 3.  Centre

21. 4. - 24. 4.  Havlíčkova kolonie, Mladé, Nové Hodějovice, Vídeňské předměstí

19. 5. - 22. 5. Suché Vrbné, Kaliště, Třebotovice

16. 6. - 19. 6. Pražské předměstí, Pražské sídliště, Kněžské Dvory, Nemanice, Husova kolonie, Nové Vráto

21. 7. - 24. 7.  Sídliště Vltava, České Vrbné, Výstaviště

25. 8. - 28. 8.  Háječek, Linecké předměstí, Rožnov

15. 9. - 18. 9.  Šumava, Stromovka, Máj

First stop - centre

The cultural tourist office began its operations in the first week of spring, from March 24 to March 27, 2022.

The caravan was stationed at Přemysl Otakar II Square, from where we could set off on several interesting walks and tours exploring the various cultural layers of the center of České Budějovice. It turned out that residents from all over the city consider the center to be their own. They are eager to learn more about it. We began to take notice and enjoy the city where we live, work, walk with our children, and visit offices and services—the city we live in every day! Read about our first stop in our article

Thank you to all the experts and enthusiasts who made the walk, tour or cruise with us.

Second stop - Lannovka, Havlíčkova kolonie, Mladé, Vídeňské předměstí

From April 21 to April 24, the caravan parked on Lannova Street. We decided to explore and enliven its generous space. We painted it with chalk, danced in both country and street dance styles, learned about graffiti, and even became street circus performers for a moment. We participated in a fantastic flash mob.

We peeked through the Vienna suburb into Gallery D9 and made our way to Malák, which undoubtedly belongs to children! The performance by Džubox caused quite a stir, sausages were roasted, songs were sung, and along the water, we explored plants and small animals, making our way to rare ponds up to Mladé. You can read more about it in the article.

Thank you Barbora, Jakub, Kačka, Klub Aktiv, Malé Divadlo, Martine, roastery and café Kmen, Tereza and Tomáš.

We are still immensely delighted by Havlíčkova Kolonie. Here, we successfully connected local residents who have been meeting regularly since the beginning of the year. The local community sparked a discussion about public space. The residents decided to enhance the Polní Park area, which has long been a problematic site in the locality. During the March Kul.turista, we organized a seminar titled 'How to Revitalize the Neighborhood' in collaboration with the Via Foundation. Participants learned how to implement projects that respond to local needs and bring about the changes the community wishes to see in the neighborhood. The Havlinda initiative was subsequently supported by a small grant from the Kaufland Foundation, managed by the Via Foundation.

A website, www.havlinda.cz, has been created, serving as a "virtual bulletin board for the neighborhood." It provides information about current events, upcoming changes, activities, and collects stories and memories, which will be further developed. To allow for offline engagement and information sharing, a traditional display case has been placed at the local self-service store.

When the weather is nice, a clothing swap rack is set up on Budovcova Street as part of the Kul.turista project, where neighbors can exchange clothes with each other.

Local residents organized a neighborhood celebration as part of the nationwide "Zažít město jinak" (Experience the City Differently) event, and we had the opportunity to meet together in September to live Havlinda.

Thank you, Bára, Dobruška, Kateřina, Michal, Petra, and many others in Havlinda today.

Third Stop – Suché Vrbné, Kaliště, Třebotovice

Between May 19 and 22, a caravan stood at the turntable at Suchovrbenské Square. We marveled, together with members of the local Sokol, at how pleasant the atmosphere of the park could be. We saw how local residents thrive when they begin to use the space and how much joy it brings them.

The May program of Kul.turista was largely shaped by students from the nearby Czech-English Grammar School, who consistently link their activities with charity. This time, for two afternoons, they raised funds to support the local St. Veronica Home Hospice. The support and engagement of young people, together with incorporating charitable projects into education, are incredibly important to us, and we deeply appreciate the approach of the local grammar school.

A full-day trip exploring the history and present of two villages belonging to České Budějovice – Třebotovice and Kaliště – offered a new perspective. The greenery, closeness to nature, and picturesque scenery characterized the entire Sunday. We realized that even an active individual, a local volunteer fire department, or a pottery workshop can provide the right impulses and shape the character of the community or place where we live.

Thank you, Nina. Thank you, students from ČAG. Thank you, dear Štarkovi. Thank you to all the library branches, especially the one in Suché Vrbné. Thank you, Štěpán.

Fourth Stop – Pražské předměstí, Pražské sídliště, Husova kolonie, Nové Vráto

June 16–19 belonged to the northeastern part of the city. The caravan was parked on the closed street Fr. Šrámka in the middle of Palackého Square, which beautifully connected and created a large, safe space. The trees overhead, combined with seating on the grass, showed us during the hot days how valuable greenery in the middle of the city is. Sitting in the shade and being cooled by a light breeze, we watched children and teenagers having fun in the skatepark created in front of the church for this purpose. The organization "Světadílna," which was responsible for the park, filled the entire Palackého Square and even projected a Czech skateboarding film on its walls, as well as organizing several concerts.

From our experience with Kul.turista, we found the square ideal for hosting regular flea markets and fostering community life. A joint dinner, where neighbors from the surrounding area gathered, was prepared by a local Asian restaurant together with Daniela and her lively kitchen. The atmosphere was wonderful.

Similarly, the neighborhood celebration in Smetanka showed how people can meet, enjoy themselves, and get to know each other even in the middle of a busy street. We were deeply touched by how simple and natural it actually is.

The ambition to prove that this neighborhood could be called "literary" was realized thanks to the literary relay of local natives and writers: Jana Štiftera, Jan Cempírek, Jiří Hajíček, and Jiří Březina. There was also an author reading at the caravan by Šimon Leitgeb and his guests, as well as a debate about the faces of cultural journalism in České Budějovice, organized by the cultural and social magazine Milk&Honey at the Karmášek print shop.

Thank you, Anna, Dana, Honza, Hynek, Magda, Martin, Radek, Šimon, and Zdeněk.

Fifth Stop – Výstaviště, Sídliště Vltava, České Vrbné

This stop took place in the hot July, between the 21st and 24th. It showed us that summer life in a housing estate is a big topic.

We now know that this neighborhood is not just hot concrete, but greenery, the functional community garden of the Cassiopeia Ecocenter, and most importantly, the river. It is the river and its immediate surroundings that attract residents living nearby the most. It cools, offers relaxation, and provides opportunities for sports.

And we thoroughly enjoyed water sports! At the Canal, in the Lídy Polesné water sports complex, where we were led by the Friday paddleboarding trip. The water sports complex showed its full strength during these days. The clubs operating there offered paddleboarding, dragon boats, and kayaks. We also enjoyed a tour of the extensive waterworks, theater, and children's studio, as well as an outdoor screening of Menzel’s classic Postřižiny. To end the summer day, we sat around the fire with a guitar and roasted sausages. This place holds huge potential for the city – not only because of its location and facilities but also because of the people who work there.

Thank you, Kač, Šárka and Tom. Thank you, Kuba.

Sixth Stop – Háječek, Linecké předměstí, Rožnov

The last weekend of the summer, from August 25 to 28, belonged to the area south of the city center, which was bustling with people thanks to the Město lidem event. We followed up with our Kul.turista project. The caravan observed everything from the quieter Háječek across the river, and its activities spread all the way to Rožnov.

We discovered the beauty and peace of hospital gardens, enjoyed a rich program at the observatory and planetarium, learned about outdoor cinema and its significance for the city, visited local villas, admired the stone by the library, and paused to watch the graceful swans flying by.

We were especially pleased by all the neighborhood meetings and celebrations. For four whole days, the local residents spent time together, showing that they care about the history of the place and want to live in it—modernly, familiarly, sociably, and even sportively. And the Vltava River, which flows through the area, connects them all. They have started meeting regularly, have their online communication groups, and are planning traditional events (such as St. Nicholas Day, Advent, and more).

Thank you, Honza, Pavel. Thank you, neighbors from Rožnov, Linecké, and Lučňák. Thank you, Jiří. Thank you, Petra. Thank you, observatory and outdoor cinema.

Seventh Stop – Sídliště Šumava, Máj, Stromovka

From September 15 to 18, Kul.turista met Zažít město jinak and Výměník1, which operates in this area, proving that it truly cares about the community. It showed that it can and does serve all the residents of Šumava and Máj.

There were cycling races, theater, dance, concerts, a dance hall, brunch, guided walks, tastings of regional foods, Nazdar Bazar, a skate contest, a swimming happening at the Bagr pond in Stromovka, and sausages by the fire. Neither the cold nor the rain could stop us! The locals enjoyed it with us, the cultural tourists, and together, we danced through these amazing, and at the same time, the last four days of Kul.turista, in between rain showers.

Thank you, Heda.

And finally: thank you, team! We’ve completed this seven-month journey through Budějce together.

Kul.turista and Its Statistics:

All of this was financed by the city, the region, the Via Foundation (Místo, kde žijeme), and the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic (MKČR).

Socionaut and Their Urban Workshops

As part of each stop of Kul.turista, an urban workshop was held by the Socionaut studio at the caravan. Their valuable insights can now serve both the city itself and contribute to the creation, implementation, and development of future stages of the city's candidacy.

What did they learn about the city? What were they asking about?

You can view and read the most important recommendations and findings here.

Echoes from Kul.turista

During the last two stops of Kul.turista, a two-part audio documentary was created, where the author, Kateřina Korychová, set out to explore the public space of České Budějovice.

She discusses the potential and challenges of the urban landscape with her guests – Radek Matoušek and Martin Novotný, garden and landscape architect Lenka Marcínová, Bára Paulátová from the initiative Naše Havlinda, and Hana Janská from Socionaut.

• How can we turn public spaces into a living room for all of us?
• What was the goal of revitalizing the gardens of the Budějovice hospital?
• How is the Sousedé z Havlindy initiative breathing life into public space?
• What were the outcomes of the urban workshops that took place from March to September in České Budějovice as part of Kul.turista?
• And what did the residents themselves tell us in the survey?

–> Both parts of the documentary are now available on Spotify and other podcast platforms.

How to Organize Your Own Neighborhood Event?

Get to Know Your Neighbors! Break the ice, meet the people living next door, transform your street, and create a new tradition!

Have you ever thought about turning your street into an outdoor café, a temporary theater, or a kids’ playground? Organizing a bazaar, flea market, or swap? Setting up a little free library in your neighborhood? Hosting a block party? Or perhaps sprucing up a neglected corner of your area? If you're unsure where to start or feel intimidated by the administrative processes involved, we're here to help! As part of Kul.turista, we’ve put together a Guide for Organizing Public Space Activities, designed to walk you through the essential administrative steps and make the process easier for you.

In the next phase, we aim to revise this guide to better serve both cultural organizers and the general public.

Turn your ideas into action and make your neighborhood a better place!