Our goal is to introduce a contemporary art to a culturally secluded rural society. Contemporary artistic activities are concentrated in the urban space. We would like to incorporate them into a peripheral small town in the traditional wine production area. Despite the previously well-known cultural life in the region, the current absence of it is obvious. That inspired us to create an open space, where the processes of sharing, meetings, inspiring and art generating will be possible.

Vracov, South Moravia, Czech republic.

The region is strongly culturally and historically enclosed, with a deeply fixed Moravian local-patriotism which is excluding other identities and more inclusive worldviews. The area is on the cultural periphery and loses attractiveness for younger people. To outside, it is well-known for its folklore tradition. These traditions are, however, performed mainly out of the region. Locally, they are performed only on the special occasions, which means that the traditions are not able to nourish and sustain rich cultural life anymore. In this society, local artists lack the place for performance and citizens are not provided with any alternative events. We will challenge these limits without trying to undermine already established cultural life, but rather to enrich it.

For: - Everyone who lacks opportunities to experience contemporary art and culture, reflecting today’s societies.
- People in Vracov (no more attractive for younger people, looking then for cultural experiences in urban environments) with a limited cultural offer (turned to past, not able to face the challenges of our times)
- Local artists thinking and creating beyond the local horizon with no space to express their ideas, remaining isolated
- The connected and “well-placed” urban artist( lacking broader perspective, operating in the narrow space, limiting their creativity and inspiration)
Our idea is to create a community which will share their specific experience and perspectives and to reduce cultural gaps between urban/rural environments and between older/younger generations.

In order to fulfil the cultural demand of people in Vracov and our vision we will regularly organize cultural events (concerts, plays, poetry perform., discussions, movies). Events organized by us, performed by urban artists will be open for the local audience, and vice versa, performed by the local artists, consumed by the foreign as well as the local audience. Based on the people's interest and informal discussion with the audience, we will adapt our programme to strike the right balance between meeting the local demand and challenging it. We will motivate engaged visitors to organise their own activities using our spaces. We will rebuild part of a house into a permanent exhibition space, with photography and painting expositions (stable cultural point, open to use by local initiatives).

We would like to achieve these results:

- to connect various cultural scenes, people, ideas and opinions
- to bring the contemporary art to the countryside and positively influence the local audience
- to inspire and “unlock” urban artists and to strengthen the visibility of local artists
- to establish a permanent open space with regular diverse cultural programme in the culturally homogenous region
- to create a space which encourage new cooperations, networks, friendships

The disappearance of a significant part of local cultural scene in the last 20 years (local cinema, amateur theatre group…) caused the lack of cultural events and reduction of their diversity. The exposure to different ideas is low which contributes to democratic passivity and the rise of populism in the region. Due to different opportunities and experiences, political polarisation between people living in urban and rural environments increases in the whole country. The cultural events organised within our project would become spaces for lively discussions, intra- and inter-cultural dialogue, and confrontations strengthening democracy. The space will be a place of meetings and collaboration across ages and origins which stimulate the development of active democratic citizenship.

We would like to change the actual stereotype - culture and art is a privilege of big cities. We came from the city, to look for the slow, nature-connected life, but we are missing a pleasure and experience of culture here. We want to show that these two things do not exclude themselves, on the contrary, they perfectly fit together.
We would like to nourish the local environment by the contemporary art and creative active democratic thinking.
We would like to make a better place for living and culture and art inspiration sharing, for us, for people in Vracov and for them how would like to find out what are the hidden beauties of this place.

Public relations- 10 000 EUR
Services (e.g. fees for artists, performers, etc. )- 20 000 EUR
Space expences- 10 000 EUR
Personel costs- 10 000 EUR

any feedback is very welcome