Základní navigace
Spolupracujeme:
from magazin TEH
Member in Focus: JOHAN Centrum (Pilsen, Czech Republic)
As pioneers in the field of artistic community work in the Czech Republic, Johan Centrum joined TEH to belong somewhere. Half year later, TEH delegate Roman Černík shares visions and experiences from the first Czech TEH member centre.
Pubished in March 2010
In October 2009 you were approved as a TEH member. What was your ambition to join?
– We wanted to belong somewhere. In Pilsen, and also in the Czech Republic, we are doing an unusual work so we joined TEH to inspire and teach ourselves. Many people now ask us what TEH membership entails and how to become a member.
What does the membership mean to your centre so far?
– We have friends and contacts all over Europe. Furthermore, the membership definitely increases our prestige when applying for grants and subsidies. Also, in the eyes of the city leaders we are suddenly more valuable. The fact that we are in a European network fits well, because Pilsen stands for European Capital of Culture 2015. One concrete result from our membership is a symposium on industrial spaces that we held here in Pilsen in collaboration with TEH-colleagues from Tabacka Kulturfabrik (Kosice, Slovakia) and Stanica (Zilina, Slovakia).
What is unique about your centre?
– I think that we are unique in our efforts on ‘interconnection’; we always aim at building bridges.
We work with children and young professional artists, we produce performances of the local scene as well as of performers from Russia and Japan and parallel to the work with performances and exhibitions we organize public workshops. We try to link different kinds of visual arts and theatre. In addition to all this, it is very symbolic for us to use the old building of the railway station, which connects the two large parts of the city of Pilsen.
Give some examples of your key activities
– During this spring we produce three regional festivals of children and students’ performing art. In April we have our big fest of new theatre, Big Inventory – a festival of alternative and research theatre makers. In the summer we will do workshops of special performance techniques – butoh, physical theatre or site-specific theatre. This time the site-specific project will take place in a old brewery area (no surprises there, we’re in Pilsen!).
Is there anything special on the program at the moment?
– Right now the local groups are completing their new productions for the theatre festivals taking place in March and April. One example is the all women’s group Evrybaby that are working on a Beckett play.
What are your centre’s future ambitions?
– We would like to reconstruct the railway station along with the owners! Another thing is that we would like to turn our punk area to a place where you can be also during wintertime. We want to turn it into an open place where you get the chance to meet new people and be inspired to try some of the artistic practices.
What is the JOHAN Centrum's audience like?
– Our audience consists mostly of young people and most of them are active in the arts or interested in culture and social activities. Many of these people will probably be the ones trying to implement their art projects here.
And finally, if JOHAN Centrum were a song, which song would it be?
– Well, I don't know what my colleagues will say, but I would say something chaotic and punk. It could be a song from our friend Peter Váša (Czech physical poet and musician) or a song from Velvet Underground or Sex Pistols.
Novinky
Děkujeme za podporu:
Novinky
30.04.2012
existují scénické cesty plné přesahů do jiných umě...