Prioritami NG will be a balanced budget and attendance

Prague - The National Gallery (NG) will focus on a balanced budget and increasing attendance in the coming years. It will not host major international exhibitions, such as those organized by Vienna's Albertina, due to a low number of visitors and excessively high financial costs. New NG director Vladimír Rösel stated this at today's first press conference in office.
     Successor to Milan Knížák faced questions regarding his appointment to office, which is criticized by some in the artistic community primarily because he has an economic education. "I do not consider it appropriate to comment on the selection process. I am convinced that I will benefit the institution with my experiences from many different fields," Rösel said. He also promised that the institution would focus more on modern and contemporary art in the future at the premises of the St. Agnes Monastery.
According to him, proposals for legislative changes are not excluded. "I am considering that NG could change its statute with the help of a certain shadow management board that would take over part of the responsibility," Rösel added.
     The press conference was attended by one of the closest collaborators of the director - the new deputy for collection activities Vít Vlnas, who previously led the Collections of Old Art at NG. His task will be to compile the exhibition plan and coordinate the collections. "Everything is currently in the preparation phase, but it can be said that what works will be maintained, and what doesn’t will be changed," Vlnas said. He added that he also anticipates greater support for scientific research projects at NG. However, he refused to specify to what extent.
Details of the concept for the future direction of NG will likely be revealed only in a comprehensive strategy plan for the office, which is expected to be completed within a few months.