The cultural center Co.labs in Brno is awaiting reconstruction, to be completed in autumn 2025

Brno - The cultural center Co.labs in Brno is set for a major reconstruction and expansion costing 92.3 million crowns. The aim is to improve conditions for the operation and development of independent culture in the city. The project has received a building permit, and construction work will begin before the middle of this year. The reopening is planned for the autumn of 2025, Juraj Augustín, a member of Co.labs' artistic and executive management, told journalists today.

The center is located in the functionalist Sokolski Stadium in Kounicova Street, where the Buranteatr and the music club Melodka used to operate, among others. The Co.labs platform was established in October 2021 in response to the closed nature of the repertoire theaters in Brno. It supports artistic creation in various forms and genres, with a special emphasis on contemporary dance and movement theater.

The largest portion of the reconstruction costs, over 64 million crowns, will be provided by the European Union through the National Recovery Plan. "It is evident that Co.labs has good roots. This is not a project created just to seize the opportunity for funding. It naturally builds on what already exists here. This is exactly how the funds from the National Recovery Plan should be used," said Minister of Culture Martin Baxa (ODS). Additional funds were contributed by the city of Brno, the South Moravian Region, and Sokol Brno I.

The reconstruction will affect the main multipurpose hall, foyer, café with a bar, and other halls, studios, and rooms with various purposes. They once formed a coherent complex, gradually used and modified by various tenants.

"The leitmotif of the entire reconstruction is the connection of all spaces into a common creative and meeting space by restoring the staircase from the 1930s," said the chief designer David Prudík. A new elevator will serve as barrier-free access. Another benefit of the project will be better technical equipment.

"The project for the renovation and expansion of the Co.labs cultural center contributes to addressing one of Brno's pressing issues, which is the lack of space for the unestablished cultural scene, which is very rich, diverse, and vibrant in Brno," said Mayor Markéta Vaňková (ODS).