Foreign artists can take advantage of a new residency space at Káznice in Brno

Brno - Foreign artists have a new residential space available in Brno at the Káznice. It started operating in September under the auspices of the city organization TIC Brno. Artists can stay and work there for two to three weeks. The project's goal is to create a place where artists can create, collaborate and communicate with the Brno art scene, while also contributing something to the neighborhood itself, said project manager Silvie Šeborová to ČTK.

The residency is open to artists whose work extends into other fields, such as multimedia, performance, or literature. "During their stay, the artist receives a fee and money for travel. Thanks to the collaboration with the Brno-sever district, they do not pay rent for the space," said Šeborová. In the future, the organizers are considering opening the residency to architects, designers, sociologists, or urban planners who will work with the local environment.

"We built upon the activities and contacts that Gallery TIC has been developing long-term, especially the international conference Survival Manual held last year, which addressed the functioning of cultural centers established by artists abroad. Artists from various parts of Europe, fascinated by the Káznice space, came to Brno as part of this conference,” said Šeborová.

The first public output of the residency is an exhibition by the Polish artistic collective Szaber at the Faktor K festival, which started at Káznice this week. In creating the exhibition titled Gryps, the Poles were inspired by the building's history, its atmosphere, and the environment around Cejl. Gryps is a Polish term for "note," which in prison slang refers to a message transmitted illegally. Other Polish and Hungarian artists will now utilize the residency.

Art residencies in Brno have also been operated by the House of Art since 2016. "The program brings interesting artists and curators from around the world to Brno, who can present their work while being inspired by the local culture and establishing various contacts here,” assessed the program's contribution by House of Art spokesperson Anna Kvášová.