Prague loves art, there have always been many artists here, local and from abroad, who on the one hand were inspired by this magical city, and on the other hand, they contributed to its amazing atmosphere. Today, Prague also attracts creative personalities – but in times of plague, there are limitations. There are definitely fewer performances, concerts and exhibitions than before the pandemic, but one appreciates them twice as much than before.
Yesterday the street theater festival Za dveřmi ended. It’s been already its 13th edition, and it was nice to see that it kept its serious size despite the difficulties. For a week, in the Exhibition Park (Výstaviště), one could see many theater groups, individual performers, acrobats, circus performers, mimes and dancers from the Czech Republic and other European countries. Performances were held outdoors – as befits street theaters.
When the storms tried to thwart the plans, the performances and shows were moved to the huge, historic Art Nouveau hall of the Industrial Palace, which seems to have been created just for such occasions. Actually, it was made for that purpose. The entire area of the Exhibition Park was created on the occasion of the Jubilee Exhibition in 1891 (this year it is already 130 years since it is there!), for the hundredth anniversary of another industrial exhibition, which was organized on the occasion of the coronation of Leopold II Habsburg as King of Bohemia. These times coincided with the industrial and technological boom and the whole of Europe was at awe at the wonders of technology. The international exhibitions that became fashionable at the time fit perfectly into the atmosphere of the era, and the most important cities strove to organize such exhibitions. In Prague this exhibition has left, apart from the Industrial Palace and the entire exhibition area, also … a mini Eiffel Tower, a lookout tower placed on the Petřín hill, modeled on the actual Paris Eiffel Tower.
This weekend, July 16-17, Prague will host another street festival, this time a music one, Praha žije hudbou, meaning Prague lives with music. If you are in Prague these days, be sure to check the program and the festival map – there will be stages or simply tents or niches placed in different parts of the city, where musicians of various genres will present their program. More information about the festival can be found here: https://www.prahazijehudbou.cz/program/ .
In the summer and fall, we will have more open-air festivals: the music and culture Respect Festival (August 28-29), the music Metronome Prague Warm Up (September 10-12) and the interdisciplinary digital Signal festival (October 14-17). Let’s hope that they will take place without any obstacles (they have already been moved, for obvious reasons). Outdoor events are not only the usual form of spending the summer and warm months in the city, but also a good way to experience culture in times when gathering indoors is not recommended. The attractions mentioned above do not exhaust the list of events, they are just some of the options. Use the attractions safely, take good care of yourself, support artists and inspire each other. Stay well!
