AVU celebrates 220 years rejuvenated and with plans for a new building

Prague – With a complete personnel change of teachers, tens of millions from European funds, works on energy savings in operations and the renovation of buildings, the Prague Academy of Fine Arts celebrates 220 years since its founding. The rector of the school, Tomáš Vaněk, who began his second four-year term last year, said in an interview with ČTK that he would like to prepare materials during the year for discussions with the ministry regarding the construction of another building for the school. According to him, the Academy needs it due to a lack of space.

Vaněk became rector at a time when the school's leadership faced criticism from both inside and outside for a certain stagnation. He himself, from the position of chairman of the Academic Senate, criticized his predecessor Tomáš Kotalík, among other things, for leading the school in an unproductive manner and bypassing the academic senate. The senate even voted unsuccessfully several times on Kotalík's premature dismissal.

Kotalík had already led the AVU for two terms from 1997 to 2003. His reelection in 2010 was unpopular with some students who claimed it was indicative of a conservative trend in the direction of the school. In 2014, he ran again, this time against Vaněk, who ultimately defeated him. After his appointment, Vaněk initiated a generational change of teachers and other school staff, which concluded last year with the filling of the last studio position in new media.

"When I began to lead the academy, I started making changes that were intense, but it was not anarchy. I came into conflict because I was dissolving traditions, values, academic approaches. However, I aimed to disrupt the academy positively, to open up things that are currently stagnant and see what can be changed," said the rector.

Despite all the changes he has made at the school so far, he insists that a certain academic nature is important for an art school even in the 21st century. "Most of the requirements for students or teaching should somehow be academic; the environment in which this takes place should not be academic," believes Vaněk. "I have relaxed the school a lot internally, but we do not operate any free style there. I know that the functionality of some academic approaches, such as examinations, methods of communication, debate, relational aspects within the institution, and requirements towards students, strengthens the entire environment," he judges.

The rector says that in the year the school celebrates its 220th anniversary, it is addressing its future a lot. "We want to start a debate about what it means to teach art and to be one of the leading schools in our region that does this. We have obtained two projects from the European Social Fund and the European Regional Development Fund for this. We should address important questions about the purpose of our institution, how to discuss teaching methodology, how to determine what we are all teaching similarly, and what the specifics are in running individual studios. The mentioned projects should help us with that, bringing tens of millions of crowns over three years," said the rector.

He is also fulfilling his election theses with a project on energy savings, which has already begun and is expected to save 30 million crowns over ten years. Under the so-called Energy Performance Contracting (EPC) system, the supplier guarantees savings; otherwise, they cover the difference themselves. The National Theatre, for example, is saving energy through EPC. Windows are being replaced in all AVU buildings, lighting will be changed, and the roof will be insulated. "What we save will pay off the loan, and after ten years, our energy expenditure will drop by three million," noted the rector of the school, which has an annual budget of around 80 to 90 million crowns.

By the end of the year, the building of the School of Architecture right next to the main AVU building will be reconstructed. It was built by Josef Gočár and Jan Kotěra, and its renovation has been long delayed. On the other side of the main building, there is currently a parking lot. Vaněk is considering this land as a possible site for building a new structure. "We have too little space, classrooms, offices, we lack workshops, facilities, storage; this building is necessary. Next year, I would like to develop the documents and justification that we need it so that negotiations can begin with the ministry about when and whether they will allocate some funds for us in the future or if we should build it or find space elsewhere," concludes his plans Vaněk.