House of Art České Budějovice - Request for Support of Open Letter
Dear colleagues,
In recent weeks, we are strongly concerned about the developments surrounding the House of Art in České Budějovice, where the Gallery of Contemporary Art and Architecture is located. It was supposed to be renovated after thirty years of neglected care. In an international architectural competition, the design of the consortium AFF Architekten + Malý Chmel was selected, which had been working on project documentation at the city's request until recently. Now, the City Council is distancing itself from it, which is paradoxical given that the renovated House of Art is part of the concept of the European Capital of Culture 2028.
As the local council must discuss in November the intention to postpone the renovation of the House of Art indefinitely, we, as residents of České Budějovice, have decided to present an open letter to the local political representation requesting the renovation according to the original intention and schedule. Since one reason for this is lower attendance compared to, for example, the summer cinema, whose renovation was opposed to that of the House of Art with this argument, we want to substantiate through your support that its visitor base is not small.
We would like to ask for your support in the form of a signature. If you have a profession related to culture, we would appreciate its mention. We are gathering signatures from local cultural figures and the national expert public under the letter.
You can then insert your signature into this shared document.
For a closer acquaintance with the situation, we offer an article by one of the authors of this letter, Petra Lexová.
Best regards,
Nika Brunová, Petra Lexová, Jiří Ptáček, and Markéta Weber
Text of the open letter:
Dear councilwomen, councilmen, councillors, and Madam Mayor,
We would like to respond to the September council meeting, which indicated that the renovation of the House of Art is no longer planned. Through this letter, we would like to urge you to reconsider the situation, to preserve the internationally recognized gallery, and to support the renovation and functional revitalization of this cultural institution, which will become an important cultural hub in the center of České Budějovice. The House of Art in České Budějovice has been an unresolved problem for the city for nearly three decades. During this time, its cultural function and technical condition have been neglected. Were it not for the personality of curator Michal Škoda (and his collaborators), it is likely that even the last of the cultural venues, the Gallery of Architecture and Contemporary Art, would have been an exhibition space of provincial level or would no longer exist at all. Only the past city leadership, the city council, and its representatives took steps to rectify the unsatisfactory situation. The recent international architectural competition was conducted fairly and, at the beginning of 2021, led to the selection of a implementable and subsequently further developed project. The schedule for the renovation and functional revitalization of the House of Art was established in accordance with the ambitious plan for the city to become the European Capital of Culture 2028.
The information that the current City Council does not intend to adhere to the planned revitalization schedule can be considered not only as a failure to meet commitments made by the previous council because of the dilapidated state of the building but also to those that arose in the new electoral term related to gaining the title of EHMK 2028. The announced "postponement of the renovation," for which a clear timeframe has not been set, even leads to the belief that the political will to address this long-neglected problem has vanished.
The renovation of the House of Art is meant to return the building in the main square of České Budějovice not only a dignified appearance but also the cultural function that it lost during the 1990s. It retains the quality foundation built by Michal Škoda and adds additional functions, including those that the city requires. The result should be a city cultural venue that provides a similar program to what is offered by, for example, PLATO in Ostrava, the House of Art in Brno, or the Automatic Mills in Pardubice. In these cities, they have already recognized the added value that cultural venues of this type offer to residents and visitors alike, as well as the significance of well-designed and executed architecture. Delaying the renovation of the House of Art is not only unfavorable to the independent institution but would effectively mean falling behind other Czech metropolises.
In extremely unfavorable conditions over the past 25 years, curator Michal Škoda has managed to build a respected gallery and establish an exceptionally successful educational center for children, which is attended by around 3000 visitors annually. The renovation of the House of Art was supposed to build on what Škoda has done for the reputation of České Budějovice and prepare the institution for the next phase of its existence. Instead, we are to accept an "indefinite postponement" because we will first renovate the summer cinema. While we do not doubt that film belongs in the city's cultural offering, we point out that the House of Art, or today just its gallery, brings broader, international acclaim to the city. Signals that the ultimate goal of the "postponement" of the renovation is to free the building in the square for other uses fill us with concerns that the debate over the significance of the House of Art for the cultural and social life in České Budějovice is returning to the state it was in twenty years ago. We are convinced that the understanding of the role of "living culture," including visual arts, has significantly shifted in the right direction since then. Therefore, it is necessary to break the vicious circle of doubt and distrust that the House of Art, after the completed renovation, would not bring the city new prestige, increased attendance, attractiveness outward, and the related economic benefits. Likewise, one cannot place great trust in unofficial proposals for the House of Art to function within the planned new building of the Alšova South Bohemian Gallery. First, the preparation for its construction is far from the stage reached by the preparation for the renovation of the House of Art; secondly, it is an institution with a different focus, scope, and goals, for which a combination with the functions of the House of Art is not appropriate.
We therefore call upon the councilwomen and councilmen of the city of České Budějovice not to support the intention to postpone the renovation and urge the councillors to reconsider the position they have presented. The House of Art should be renovated according to the proposed (and repeatedly supported by the councils) project, clearly before the year 2028, when the attention of the entire cultural Europe will be focused on České Budějovice. What they will see here will shape their image for the coming decades.
We believe in your understanding.
Nika Brunová
photographer, České Budějovice
Petra Lexová
art historian and curator, educator at Masaryk University in Brno and the South Bohemian University in České Budějovice
Jiří Ptáček
curator and critic of contemporary art, member of the Cultural Commission in České Budějovice
Markéta Weber
art historian and instructor of art courses, studio Objev and ZUŠ Piaristické náměstí in České Budějovice
In recent weeks, we are strongly concerned about the developments surrounding the House of Art in České Budějovice, where the Gallery of Contemporary Art and Architecture is located. It was supposed to be renovated after thirty years of neglected care. In an international architectural competition, the design of the consortium AFF Architekten + Malý Chmel was selected, which had been working on project documentation at the city's request until recently. Now, the City Council is distancing itself from it, which is paradoxical given that the renovated House of Art is part of the concept of the European Capital of Culture 2028.
As the local council must discuss in November the intention to postpone the renovation of the House of Art indefinitely, we, as residents of České Budějovice, have decided to present an open letter to the local political representation requesting the renovation according to the original intention and schedule. Since one reason for this is lower attendance compared to, for example, the summer cinema, whose renovation was opposed to that of the House of Art with this argument, we want to substantiate through your support that its visitor base is not small.
We would like to ask for your support in the form of a signature. If you have a profession related to culture, we would appreciate its mention. We are gathering signatures from local cultural figures and the national expert public under the letter.
You can then insert your signature into this shared document.
For a closer acquaintance with the situation, we offer an article by one of the authors of this letter, Petra Lexová.
Best regards,
Nika Brunová, Petra Lexová, Jiří Ptáček, and Markéta Weber
Text of the open letter:
Dear councilwomen, councilmen, councillors, and Madam Mayor,
We would like to respond to the September council meeting, which indicated that the renovation of the House of Art is no longer planned. Through this letter, we would like to urge you to reconsider the situation, to preserve the internationally recognized gallery, and to support the renovation and functional revitalization of this cultural institution, which will become an important cultural hub in the center of České Budějovice. The House of Art in České Budějovice has been an unresolved problem for the city for nearly three decades. During this time, its cultural function and technical condition have been neglected. Were it not for the personality of curator Michal Škoda (and his collaborators), it is likely that even the last of the cultural venues, the Gallery of Architecture and Contemporary Art, would have been an exhibition space of provincial level or would no longer exist at all. Only the past city leadership, the city council, and its representatives took steps to rectify the unsatisfactory situation. The recent international architectural competition was conducted fairly and, at the beginning of 2021, led to the selection of a implementable and subsequently further developed project. The schedule for the renovation and functional revitalization of the House of Art was established in accordance with the ambitious plan for the city to become the European Capital of Culture 2028.
The information that the current City Council does not intend to adhere to the planned revitalization schedule can be considered not only as a failure to meet commitments made by the previous council because of the dilapidated state of the building but also to those that arose in the new electoral term related to gaining the title of EHMK 2028. The announced "postponement of the renovation," for which a clear timeframe has not been set, even leads to the belief that the political will to address this long-neglected problem has vanished.
The renovation of the House of Art is meant to return the building in the main square of České Budějovice not only a dignified appearance but also the cultural function that it lost during the 1990s. It retains the quality foundation built by Michal Škoda and adds additional functions, including those that the city requires. The result should be a city cultural venue that provides a similar program to what is offered by, for example, PLATO in Ostrava, the House of Art in Brno, or the Automatic Mills in Pardubice. In these cities, they have already recognized the added value that cultural venues of this type offer to residents and visitors alike, as well as the significance of well-designed and executed architecture. Delaying the renovation of the House of Art is not only unfavorable to the independent institution but would effectively mean falling behind other Czech metropolises.
In extremely unfavorable conditions over the past 25 years, curator Michal Škoda has managed to build a respected gallery and establish an exceptionally successful educational center for children, which is attended by around 3000 visitors annually. The renovation of the House of Art was supposed to build on what Škoda has done for the reputation of České Budějovice and prepare the institution for the next phase of its existence. Instead, we are to accept an "indefinite postponement" because we will first renovate the summer cinema. While we do not doubt that film belongs in the city's cultural offering, we point out that the House of Art, or today just its gallery, brings broader, international acclaim to the city. Signals that the ultimate goal of the "postponement" of the renovation is to free the building in the square for other uses fill us with concerns that the debate over the significance of the House of Art for the cultural and social life in České Budějovice is returning to the state it was in twenty years ago. We are convinced that the understanding of the role of "living culture," including visual arts, has significantly shifted in the right direction since then. Therefore, it is necessary to break the vicious circle of doubt and distrust that the House of Art, after the completed renovation, would not bring the city new prestige, increased attendance, attractiveness outward, and the related economic benefits. Likewise, one cannot place great trust in unofficial proposals for the House of Art to function within the planned new building of the Alšova South Bohemian Gallery. First, the preparation for its construction is far from the stage reached by the preparation for the renovation of the House of Art; secondly, it is an institution with a different focus, scope, and goals, for which a combination with the functions of the House of Art is not appropriate.
We therefore call upon the councilwomen and councilmen of the city of České Budějovice not to support the intention to postpone the renovation and urge the councillors to reconsider the position they have presented. The House of Art should be renovated according to the proposed (and repeatedly supported by the councils) project, clearly before the year 2028, when the attention of the entire cultural Europe will be focused on České Budějovice. What they will see here will shape their image for the coming decades.
We believe in your understanding.
Nika Brunová
photographer, České Budějovice
Petra Lexová
art historian and curator, educator at Masaryk University in Brno and the South Bohemian University in České Budějovice
Jiří Ptáček
curator and critic of contemporary art, member of the Cultural Commission in České Budějovice
Markéta Weber
art historian and instructor of art courses, studio Objev and ZUŠ Piaristické náměstí in České Budějovice
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