The Cultural Institute Czech Centres together with the Office of the General Commissioner of EXPO and the professional public have evaluated the applications for the open call for cultural programme for the upcoming World Exhibition in Japan. The final form of the programme will be discussed with thirty applicants. Among them are, for example, a joint project of the Czech Philharmonic and Circus La Putyka or the National Theatre Brno. There are also representatives of progressive personalities and groups such as the organist and composer Katta Vox, the singer-songwriter Anna Blomqvist Vaverková or the Lunchmeat collective, which combines electronic music with digital art.
During September, the jury selected the finalists from record 186 entries. The cultural programme will complement the business dimension of the Czech participation at EXPO 2025 in Osaka.
Due to the architecture of the Czech pavilion, which includes a multifunctional auditorium, and its attractive and accessible location, projects designed primarily for indoor presentation are being sought. The central theme of the exhibition is Creating a future society for our lives. The theme of the Czech participation is Talent and creativity for life.
"We very much appreciate the interest of the cultural community in joining the programme of the Czech national pavilion at EXPO 2025. And we are pleased that we had a rich selection of projects available. We would like to thank all those interested. At the moment we are in contact with the artists or art groups and ensembles that have been shortlisted. We will discuss with them the parameters and funding options for their participation. The programme must not only consist of individually distinctive projects with an international reputation, but must also represent the diverse and inspiring Czech art and cultural scene as a whole." Says Přemysl Pela, Programme Director of the cultural part of the Czech participation at EXPO 2025.
"I built the concept of the Czech participation at EXPO 2025 on the strength of Czech talent and creativity, which have proven to help overcome even the most distant borders - not only in the past, but also in the present. I am convinced that the Czech cultural programme will captivate the Japanese audience and strengthen our mutual relations in the years to come. Just as it did after the success of the Czechoslovak pavilion in 1970. I must say that we are absolutely delighted with the number of applications we have received. We honestly didn't expect such a huge interest from the cultural community, we really appreciate it." says the Commissioner General of the Czech participation at EXPO 2025 Ondřej Soška.
Among the successful projects we can find proven stalwarts of the Czech music scene, which for the Japanese audience function essentially as synonyms for the Czech Republic. These are mainly classical music projects. However, they will show themselves in a contemporary light - complemented by innovative and cross-genre connections with other artistic ensembles. This also applies to the planned performance of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra and Cirque La Putyka.
"The Czech Philharmonic Orchestra tried their hand at cooperation with Cirk La Putyka during the opening evening of the Smetana Litomyšl Festival. On the basis of this successful project, which entertained both musicians and audience, we offered this project through an open cultural call to the organizers of EXPO 2025 and we are pleased that it was selected for the program of the National Day of Czech Participation, which we are very much looking forward to and believe will appeal to the Japanese audience, which is known for its love of Czech music," says the General Director of the Czech Philharmonic David Marecek.
In addition to the programmatic quality of the project, the jury took into account the Czech-Japanese cultural and artistic link. This is an extraordinary opportunity for Czech artists to present themselves on the world stage, and part of the negotiations with them is also the co-financing of their participation.
Other projects impressed the jury with their creative innovation or use of modern technologies, such as representatives of performing arts and new circus or the progressive music scene. The programme will not leave out the youngest EXPO visitors either, with puppet shows and children's music productions planned for them.
The young generation of artists will also be represented by a cellist Tomas Jamnik, which operates outside the Czech Republic also in the German capital. "If there is anywhere where it makes sense to promote Czech culture, it is in Japan, where it is always warmly welcomed and expected. Every time I visit this country, I admire how much they appreciate classical music - the beautiful and acoustically tuned halls are filled with enthusiastic listeners, who sometimes create an atmosphere like at a rock concert. I think we can still learn a lot from each other," adds to the participation in the cultural programme of the Czech National Pavilion.
The expert partners of the cultural challenge are Institute of Arts - Theatre Institute, a contributory organization of the Ministry of Culture supporting the presentation of live art abroad, and service organizations New network promoting live art and open culture. Nová sieci is, among other things, the administrator of the Czech cultural network Nová sieci, which brings together more than 30 organisations across the regions of the Czech Republic.
The cultural call was launched in July 2024, running for about two months. In mid-September, the expert jury met. The finalisation of the cultural programme will take place over the next two months.
Czech Republic at Expo 2025/ gnews - RoZ
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