What is a SKATEHOLDERS project?

The SKATEHOLDERS project focuses on connecting architecture and design interventions in public space with education and social work. This enables to create an ideal city for skateboarding and other roller and urban sports. The flat terrain of České Budějovice creates great conditions for the development of roller sports. The objective of this project is to make the city a popular European destination for skateboarding and other urban sports. This will be achieved through a series of artistic and architectural interventions. For example, each year Studio U/U will transform an unused or neglected public space into a unique place suitable both for skateboarding and for a quality social interaction. The project will also include two development modules. SKATEHOLDERS FORUM will focus on establishing of partnerships with local and international organizations that use skateboarding as a tool to educate and support disadvantaged social groups. Every year SKATEHOLDERS FORUM will organize an annual international skateboarding festival full of competitions, lectures on the social benefits of the sport or film screenings that will present České Budějovice to the whole of Europe as an ideal city for skateboarding. SKATEHOLDERS SCHOOL will focus on teaching of cultural skateboarding to the general public and to disadvantaged children and youth.

Why is the SKATEHOLDERS project a part of the European Capital of Culture?

Skateboarding is an activity that gives a new function to public space. Like other street activities (street art, graffiti, parkour, BMX, urbex... ), skateboarding is a part of our culture and therefore it also affects architecture and urbanism. Its promotion leads to the revitalization of public spaces and thus to creation of new interactions that improve the quality of life in the city.

The Skateholders project uses architectural and artistic changes to create space for urban outdoor and urban sports and for the general public. The objective is to complement the quality existing and planned infrastructure and make České Budějovice one of the European metropolises of urban sports where youngsters from all over Europe will be able to meet.

SKATEHOLDERS FORUM

The Skateholders Forum is the second phase of our project to connect us with the global community of organizations that use skateboarding for education and development support/social work. This year the Skateholders Forum will be the main event in the skateboarding section of the European City of Culture 2028. It will be a week packed with skate jams, panel discussions, exhibitions, workshops and evening fun, including interesting guests from several European countries.

The whole program will start on Saturday 29 June, 2024 with a contest in the local skate park and will continue until Wednesday 3 July with daily activities, mainly discussions and workshops. On Thursday 4 July, the Skateholders Forum will move to Tabor to join the Transforma festival and culminate with the traditional DIY contest Vozová Hrotba.

PROGRAM