The Czech Institute of Culture, together with the Commissioner's Office for EXPO and experts in the field, have evaluated applications for the cultural program at the upcoming World Expo in Japan. The final program will be developed in consultation with thirty applicants. These include projects such as a collaboration between the Czech Philharmonic and Cirque La Putyka, and the National Theatre of Brno. The list also includes representatives of progressive individuals and groups, such as the organist and composer Katta Vox, the singer-songwriter Anna Blomqvist Vaverková, and the collective Lunchmeat, which combines electronic music with digital art.

The jury selected the finalists from a record number of 186 applications during September. The cultural program will complement the business aspects of the Czech participation in the EXPO 2025 in Osaka.

Given the architecture of the Czech pavilion, which includes a multifunctional auditorium, and its attractive and accessible location, the focus is on projects designed primarily for indoor presentations. 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 greatly appreciate the interest of the cultural community in participating in the program of the Czech national pavilion at EXPO 2025. We are pleased to have had a rich selection of projects to choose from. We thank all applicants. We are currently in contact with artists and artistic groups that have been shortlisted. We will discuss with them the parameters and possibilities of funding their participation. The program must not only feature individual projects with international recognition, but also represent the diverse and inspiring Czech art and cultural scene as a whole," said Přemysl Pela, program director of the cultural part of the Czech participation at EXPO 2025.

"I based the concept of the Czech participation at EXPO 2025 on the strength of Czech talent and creativity, which demonstrably helps to overcome even the most distant boundaries – and this is true not only in the past, but also in the present. I am convinced that the Czech cultural program will captivate the Japanese audience and strengthen our mutual relations in the coming years, just as it did after the success of the Czechoslovak pavilion in 1970. I must say that we are absolutely thrilled with the number of applications we received. We honestly did not expect such a huge interest from the cultural community, and we greatly appreciate it," said the Commissioner of the Czech participation at EXPO 2025, Ondřej Soška.

Among the successful projects, we find established pillars of the Czech music scene that essentially serve as synonyms for the Czech Republic for the Japanese audience. These are primarily projects in the field of classical music. However, they will be presented in a contemporary light, complemented by innovative and cross-genre collaborations with other artistic groups. This also applies to the planned performance by the Czech Philharmonic and Cirque La Putyka.

"The Czech Philharmonic collaborated with Cirque La Putyka during the opening evening of the Smetana Litomyšl festival. Based on this successful project, which entertained both the musicians and the audience, we offered this project to the organizers of EXPO 2025 through an open call for cultural projects, and we are pleased that it has been selected for the program of the Czech National Day, which we are very much looking forward to, and we believe that it will resonate with the Japanese audience, which is known for its love of Czech music," said the General Director of the Czech Philharmonic, David Mareček.

In addition to the quality of the projects, the jury also took into account the Czech-Japanese cultural and artistic ties. This is an exceptional opportunity for Czech artists to showcase their work on the world stage, and co-financing their participation is part of the process.

Other projects impressed the jury with their creative innovation or the use of modern technologies, such as those representing performing arts and new circus, or the progressive music scene. The program also caters to the youngest visitors of the EXPO, with puppet shows and children's musical performances planned.

The younger generation of artists will also be represented by cellist Tomáš Jamník, who also works in the German capital. "If there's a place where it makes sense to promote Czech culture, it's in Japan, where it is always warmly welcomed and anticipated. Every time I visit this country, I admire how much they value classical music – the beautiful, acoustically tuned halls are often filled with enthusiastic listeners, who sometimes create an atmosphere like at a rock concert. I believe we can still learn a lot from each other," he adds about his participation in the cultural program of the Czech national pavilion.

The expert partners for the cultural initiative are the Institute of Art – Theatre Institute, a public institution of the Ministry of Culture that supports the presentation of performing arts abroad, and the service organization Nová síť (New Network), which supports performing arts and open culture. Nová síť also manages the Czech Cultural Network, which brings together more than 30 organizations across the Czech Republic.

The cultural initiative was announced in July 2024 and ran for approximately two months. The expert jury then convened in mid-September. The finalization of the cultural program will take place over the next two months.

Czech Republic at Expo 2025 / gnews - RoZ