The expected change at the Brno city hall will also be reflected in culture

Brno - The anticipated change at the Brno city hall will also reflect in the culture sector. The probable coalition of ANO, Žít Brno, KDU-ČSL, and the Green Party wants to develop a new long-term concept with clear priorities, strengthen funding for independent culture, and advance the project of the Janáček Cultural Center according to the published agreement. They will announce a selection process for the head of the cultural department at the city hall. Changes are also expected for the Tourist and Information Center.
    Culture will be the responsibility of the Deputy Mayor, activist Matěj Hollan, leader of Žít Brno. "He is someone who has been involved in culture; he has good information about it," said Petra Havlíková from the Brno cultural association to ČTK. Hollan is an active musician and educated musicologist. Whether he will manage the agenda remains to be seen— it might be difficult for him to detach from the non-profit sector from which he comes, stated Stanislav Michalík (ODS), who chaired the cultural commission for four years and participated in dialogue with the independent scene and the creation of the grant system.
    Culture is a major item in Brno's budget. This year, the city is spending nearly 850 million Czech crowns on it, with total expenses amounting to 11.7 billion crowns. About half a billion will go to theater operations, while around 50 million is allocated for musical activities, libraries, and museums with galleries. In recent years, most institutions have had to cut back.
    The new coalition has already mentioned priorities in culture in the cooperation agreement. The parties wish to find a way to finance the Janáček Cultural Center and complete the project at least to the stage of obtaining a building permit. According to Hollan, everything will begin with an inspection of how far along the current construction project is between Veselá and Besední Streets and whether the concert hall's operation is sustainable. However, Hollan does not rule out locating the center in a different location.
    Another goal is to develop a long-term concept for cultural development. "It must be clearly established what the city considers most important, where it will allocate the most funds, and what it will be proud of," said Hollan. According to Michalík, it would be sufficient to update the current documents. The new coalition should carefully consider all planned steps to avoid undermining the work done so far.
    The development of a new concept is supported by the Brno cultural association, which presented candidates with a document called "Several Aspects of Brno Culture" containing seven programmatic points. Leaders of ANO, Žít Brno, and the Green Party signed it, and the Christian Democrats identified with most of the points. The document includes trustworthy selections for heads of subsidized organizations, maintaining a coordination group for culture, supporting Brno's candidacy for European Capital of Culture in 2028, and creating a creative center in the former prison on Cejl Street.
    A key point is better funding for independent culture. This year, the city allocates about 13 million crowns for independent projects. Both Hollan and Havlíková agree that this is insufficient. The document anticipates an increase to 30 million crowns. "However, we understand that it cannot happen all at once," said Havlíková. The new coalition does not yet know where it will find the funding. First, they claim it is necessary to assess the needs and financial condition of subsidized organizations, noted Hollan. Until now, as a citizen, he did not have access to all the information regarding finances. Michalík believes that 30 million is not a realistic amount; according to him, independent culture could receive 15 to 20 million.
    Changes are likely in the Tourist Information Center of the City of Brno, which manages tourism in the city but also takes care of several galleries, the Art cinema, and organizes concerts and festivals. Especially Žít Brno sharply criticized the center's work and its head, Petra Kačírková, before the elections. Hollan confirmed to ČTK that he expects to announce a selection process for her position.

Selected operational expenses for culture in the budget of the Statutory City of Brno for the year 2014
(in millions CZK)

Theatrical activities	502.2
Musical activities	56.5
Library activities	55.7
Museum and gallery activities	51.3
Other cultural matters	36.7
Leisure activities in culture	23.7
Exhibition activities in culture	14.5
Preservation and restoration of cultural monuments	10.8