The preparation of the Cultural Center Frýdek-Místek will also involve local cultural experts

Frýdek-Místek - The city has involved local experts from the cultural field in the preparations for the establishment of the new Cultural Center in Frýdek-Místek. It wants to ensure that the planned multifunctional hall meets their requirements and needs. The hall is expected to be used by municipal dance, music, and theater groups in the future. The capacity of the hall should be higher than originally anticipated. The city spokesperson Jana Musálková Jeckelová communicated this to journalists today.

The new Cultural Center is set to be established through the reconstruction of two historic buildings - the National House with its historic hall and the former National Savings Bank of Místek, where a city gallery will be located, along with facilities for cultural groups on the upper floors. A new extension, called the New Stage, featuring a multifunctional hall designed by the renowned architect Eva Jiřičná, is also planned. All three buildings will be connected by a hall with a cloakroom and a café, from which visitors will enter the individual venues.

The extension of the New Stage is causing disagreements between the coalition and the opposition. Opposition councilor and former mayor Michal Pobucký (Friends of FM) has previously criticized the fact that the city leadership refuses to hold a referendum on such an expensive project. He also pointed to the costs of the project, which he called a megalomaniac building intended for a narrow group of people. "The New Stage building – and not just it, but the entire complex – is definitely not intended as an elitist project for a narrow group of visitors. The aim is, on the contrary, to expand the possibilities for cultural enjoyment in the city both in terms of the number of cultural events and in terms of the genres offered," said Radovan Hořínek (ANO), the deputy mayor for property and city participation.

In the past, the city considered two options. In addition to the extension of the New Stage, there was still the reconstruction of the former cinema Petra Bezruče in play. However, according to the deputy for investments Jiří Kajzar (Our City F-M), the renovation would be comparable in costs to the construction of the New Stage. He pointed out that the reconstruction of the National House and the Savings Bank would have to be carried out regardless of the construction of the New Stage. The city has now involved representatives of cultural organizations and associations in the preparations. According to Mayor Petr Korč (Our City F-M), he wants the hall to meet their needs and be utilized to the maximum extent.

"We are working with a concept where the hall will provide facilities for most dance, music, and theater groups in the city. It will have tiered seating and the option to have a flat space after retracting the audience seating. We have managed to increase the capacity as part of the study to 500 seating places and 900 standing places. This means that due to these modifications, it will have a greater utilization," believes Korč.

Kamil Rudolf, the founder of the dance festival Beats for Love and operator of the Stoun club, welcomes the collaboration with the city. "It is good that the city is negotiating with organizers and producers of cultural events regarding the hall and takes their comments into account. It is the right way for the hall to truly serve the entire city," Rudolf stated. The hall would also be welcomed by the director of the Symphonic Orchestra Frýdek-Místek Vladimír Bláha. "The hall will be a benefit for the Symphonic Orchestra Frýdek-Místek. We plan to expand our program with new concerts that will reflect the modern direction of classical music and include significant soloists and groups from other musical genres, which could take place in this hall," Bláha stated.

The reconstruction of the National House, according to the spokesperson, will cost 314.5 million crowns, the reconstruction of the Savings Bank 76.8 million, and the construction of the New Stage 349.3 million crowns. The city aims to seek subsidies. However, the opposition argues that the entire project will be significantly more expensive. The city intends to start with the reconstruction of the Savings Bank, with the contractor to be chosen by the end of next year.