Last Year, Artium’s Courageous Programming Drew 6,000 Visitors – This Year, the Focus Shifts to Innovation

The Lines of Courage program at Artium by KKCG brought audiences a diverse lineup of three exhibitions and eight concerts, spanning jazz, classical music, and a festive Christmas recital. Visitors also responded enthusiastically to guided exhibition tours and the summer club cinema. With its rich, multi-genre programming, the open-access art space welcomed approximately 6,000 visitors last year. Additionally, all concerts were benefit events, raising a total of CZK 350,000 to support young, talented musicians through the Pianos for Schools Supports Talented Artists initiative.

"After three years, Artium has established its own visual identity, logo, clear dramaturgy, and a diverse, high-quality program. Seeing the number of regular visitors continuously grow is incredibly rewarding, as it confirms our vision—to bring art into people's lives, allowing them, even if just for a moment, to step away from everyday concerns and see the world differently, perhaps even more joyfully," reflects Štěpánka Komárková, patron of the space, on the past year.

The 2025 dramaturgical series, titled Lines of Innovation, continues to connect often isolated cultural spheres. In the field of visual arts, it will feature a joint exhibition by Martin Moflár and Filip Švehla, followed by a lineup of other artists, musicians, and performers.

Exhibitions Showcased Bold Young Female Artists

Last year’s exhibition cycle focused on female artists from the transition between Generation X and Y, who are already recognized and established on the art scene while continuously seeking new challenges. One such challenge was the non-traditional gallery space of Artium, which they embraced in their own unique ways. Each selected artist differed not only in the medium they primarily work with but also in the societal or deeply personal themes they explore.

The year opened with sculptor Veronika Psotková and her wire sculptures. As part of her exhibition No Fear, she introduced a piece created specifically for Artium—a monumental multi-figure installation titled Pillar of Society.

Next, photographer and documentary filmmaker Jarmila Štuková presented Us and Them, a series of photographs from across the globe highlighting pressing social issues and bridging the perceived divide between "us" in the wealthy world and "them" in the unstable regions of the world.

The exhibition cycle concludes with the ongoing show I Met Myself in the Forest by draftswoman and printmaker Lenka Falušiová. Her large-scale ink paintings, drawings, acrylic works, and intaglio prints depict a silent, contemplative forest landscape. The exhibition will remain on display at Artium until February 28, 2025.

Concerts Across Genres Were Tied to Charity

At Artium, visual and musical experiences often intertwined, with numerous concerts held amidst the backdrop of ongoing exhibitions. As part of the spring jazz series Dare to Follow the Music, performances featured renowned musicians such as Ondřej Pivec and his Organic Trio, Dan Bárta accompanied by his longtime guitarist Ladislav Friedl, and Laco Déczi with his Celula New York ensemble.

In September, Artium resonated with classical music, hosting four concerts as part of the international Dvořák Prague Festival.

During the Advent season, the space welcomed pianist, composer, and arranger Tomáš Kačo, who captivated audiences with his Christmas recital.

All concerts were charity events, raising a total of CZK 350,000 to support young, talented pianists enrolled in the Pianos for Schools Supports Talented Artists scholarship program, initiated by the Karel Komárek Family Foundation.

Artium Also Attracted Fans of Summer Cinema and Festivals

Artium fulfilled its goal of connecting often isolated cultural spheres by participating in the widely attended Open House Prague festival and hosting a summer club cinema. As part of the program, audiences had the opportunity to watch selected Czech documentaries, including Tady Havel, slyšíte mě? (Havel, Can You Hear Me?) and Moje nová tvář (Is There Any Place for Me, Please?).

Artium by KKCG: Where Art Meets People

Artium by KKCG is a unique, open-access art space that brings together different worlds, opens new horizons, and connects often isolated cultural spheres through unforgettable encounters. In collaboration with leading curators, Artium curates a multi-genre artistic program for the public, built on four core pillars: visual arts, music, performing arts, and education. Located within the headquarters of the investment and innovation group KKCG at Bořislavka, Artium was established through the vision and financial support of Štěpánka and Karel Komárek, who believe that art reminds us of our roots and presents reality in unconventional ways. Their commitment to supporting artists and making their work accessible to the wider public continues to shape Artium as a space where creativity thrives.