Prague - The Foundation of Czech Visual Art (NČVU), which operates the Mánes exhibition hall, will have new leadership. Long-time director Dagmar Baběradová resigned today from her position as director of the foundation and will soon hand over her role to an acting successor. This was announced today by Daniel Netušil, the chairman of the foundation's board. The Foundation of Czech Visual Art has recently been criticized by representatives of the Skutek association and the chairman of the supervisory board, Antonín Janák, for poor management, lack of transparency, and evasion of internal control. They were also displeased with the failure to announce elections for the foundation’s supervisory board. The supervisory board of NČVU had previously criticized what it considered an unfavorable rental of a guesthouse by Lake Mácha to Baběradová's son.
"As the chairman of the board of the Foundation of Czech Visual Art, I announce that I have today accepted the resignation of the current director of the foundation, Dagmar Baběradová. The director has decided to conclude her activities at the foundation as of today and will transfer her position to an acting successor as soon as possible," Netušil stated. He added that the foundation will quickly announce a selection process for a new director.
The Foundation of Czech Visual Art was established in the 1990s as a successor organization to the artistic organization Dílo and later the Czech Art Fund Foundation. It is intended to serve artistic unions, emerging artists, and assist them. Therefore, important works of art and real estate, particularly the Mánes building in the center of Prague, were transferred to its ownership from the state. Some artists have long criticized the foundation; a protest against its functioning was organized by the initiative Mánes artists in 2013. In April this year, their activities were continued by the Skutek association, which was displeased that the supervisory board refused to announce elections before the end of the term for all its members, thereby extending its mandate for another electoral term.
The supervisory board raised concerns about poor management in March of this year. This concerned the rental of a guesthouse in Staré Splavy by Lake Mácha to the son of NČVU director Baběradová. Until last autumn, Miloš Štorkán was paying a rental fee of 200,000 crowns for seven months of the year from April to the end of October. During the cold part of the year, the foundation took care of the estate again. According to Janák, the supervisory board had been unsuccessfully urging director Baběradová and the supervisory board for over a year to announce a selection process for the rental of the guesthouse. Baběradová responded only this January after being tasked with it by the supervisory board.
In today’s statement, Netušil mentioned that he is preparing an independent audit focusing primarily on issues related to the sale of certain properties, the reconstruction of the Šítkov water tower, the renovation of the Mánes building, and the rental of spaces in Mánes. In his statement, Netušil also called for nominations to the three-member supervisory board, whose term will expire on May 12.
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