Project Gym: Support for Cultural Projects for České Budějovice 2028

18. April 2026

In the course of spring 2026, as part of the preparations for the European Capital of Culture České Budějovice 2028, an educational programme for project teams took place — the so-called Project Gym. Its aim was to support project implementers, particularly those who succeeded in the 2025 open call, and to provide them with practical tools for the high-quality and sustainable delivery of their plans in areas that are key to us.

The programme was built on three thematic pillars, which we consider fundamental to the long-term development of cultural projects:

  • audience engagement and accessibility,

  • environmental sustainability,

  • international cooperation, including European funding.

The individual modules were led by prominent practitioners — Agata Etmanowicz (accessibility and audience development), Dana Kalistová (environmental sustainability in culture), and Magdalena Müllerová together with the team of the National Institute for Culture (international cooperation and EU fundraising).

The programme also included the sharing of good practice through guest Kryštof Koláček, who presented the Trojmezí project within the framework of ECoC. These individuals brought not only a theoretical framework, but above all concrete examples, shared experience, and space for application to the participants' real projects.

From Theory to Practice: Confidence, Sharing, and Support for Cultural Initiatives

The seminars combined expert insight with hands-on work and open discussion of concrete situations that project teams encounter in their practice. Participants were thus able to reflect on their projects from new perspectives, seek realistic solutions, and build confidence in areas that are becoming increasingly important for contemporary cultural production.

We see the Project Gym as an important step towards long-term support for our partners. Our goal is not merely to deliver individual projects, but to create an environment in which high-quality, thoughtful, and sustainable cultural initiatives can emerge — with a real impact on audiences and the region.