The Central European Forum Olomouc project will move forward

Olomouc - The Central European Forum project in Olomouc (SEFO), which aims to be a unique exhibition of visual arts from Central Europe, is moving forward after years of discussions and preparations. The Museum of Art will prepare an investment plan by the end of the year, and the Ministry of Culture will address the financing of SEFO in the first quarter of next year. After a meeting with Minister of Culture Daniel Herman, Michal Soukup, the director of the Museum of Art Olomouc, shared this information with ČTK today.

“First, it is necessary to finance the preparatory phase, which is possible from the resources of the Ministry of Culture; these are not exorbitant amounts. Then I will present the entire matter to the government, and I expect that the synergy of positive interest will help this project be perceived as a priority by the entire government. It is necessary to combine financing from the state, the region, and the city, and we will also strive for European funding,” Herman said after the meeting with the Museum of Art leadership.

The Museum of Art has been planning the project, which will require an investment of 300 to 350 million crowns, for some time. Five years ago, it was abandoned because it did not receive the required half-billion grant from European funds. Herman estimated today that the project could be brought to a successful conclusion by 2021 at the latest. “The implementation needs to be phased and fulfilled step by step, as all legal regulations require,” he pointed out.

The SEFO project is also supported by the candidate for the new Olomouc governor, Oto Košta (ANO). “This is undoubtedly a beneficial thing for the city, the region, and the republic. In the future, it will bring significant values, and it would be an incredible foolishness to squander the opportunity for SEFO to be created for any reason. If I am elected governor, I will do my utmost for its birth,” he said.

The SEFO project was confirmed by representatives of all Visegrad Group countries with their signatures in 2008 in Olomouc. Inside the architecturally daring building, modern artworks from across Central Europe were to be exhibited; the rear section was to include a garden with sculptures and archaeological finds, and the museum was also to feature an international research center. However, the project was excluded from the grant process on the grounds that it met the criteria for so-called public support.

The proposal did not succeed in another European grant scheme either, as the program was limited to a maximum of 123 million crowns. However, according to Soukup, it still has a chance as it is included in the state cultural policy.

SEFO is one of the most ambitious post-war projects in Czech museology. Its main goals include capturing the diverse manifestations of visual culture in the Central European region after World War II. It envisions a new building in a gap near the Museum of Art covering an area of 1,800 m². The new central storage facility will be able to accommodate up to 200,000 works of art. The design of the SEFO building, at the time of its inception, divided the public in Olomouc mainly due to its futuristic appearance.