OPEN SEASON

For more accessible culture for all

What we do and how we do it

One of the goals of the European Capital of Culture is a more accessible culture. The Open Season project focuses on removing barriers in culture and the arts. However, our goal is not just to "make accessible," "mediate," or "translate" cultural content. It is important that people experience art they can identify with. That is why we want to create opportunities for people with disabilities to create and present their own work. We wish for the work of top artists with disabilities to be part of the mainstream cultural offer, providing an extraordinary artistic experience and expanding it with new perspectives.

At the same time, we also pay attention to art in public spaces. Here, too, our goal is to make it accessible to everyone. We wish to provide an experience of discovering historically significant monuments of Budweis. Similarly, we aim to make modern art in public spaces more familiar to everyone.

We want everyone to be able to experience art. Whether on stage, below it, behind the scenes, on a walk through the city or by sharing their own experiences.

What are we planning?

There are top artists with disabilities working in the Czech Republic and abroad, and we will be inviting them regularly to Budweis until 2028. You will have the opportunity to meet them at various traditional and brand new events.

We will map the cultural monuments of Budweis that not everyone has the opportunity to experience firsthand. For example, some people never get the chance to see the distinctive Black Tower, even though they pass it almost every day. For others, it is too far away or difficult to climb the ancient stairs. Therefore, an interactive map of the city will be created, containing descriptions of specific places and allowing you to discover historically significant places in Budweis by listening. We will create this interactive map together with the public and experts by 2028.

Modern art is also part of a cultural city. We will therefore strive to provide the opportunity to learn about newly created and temporary works, installations, and exhibitions in public spaces in the form of descriptions of specific works accompanied by digitally accessible audio recordings. We will also regularly organize guided walks to observe modern art in public spaces.

Why is this project part of Budweis 2028?

The issue of accessibility is growing in importance and should be of interest to all of us. Today, there are 100 million people living in the EU with some form of disability – physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory. As the population ages and grows, this number continues to rise.
These people face barriers everywhere: in cultural buildings, during cultural programs, in the presentation of works of art, at festivals and in advertising. Here are a few examples to give you a better idea:

  • A person in a wheelchair has trouble getting into a hall that can only be accessed by stairs.
  • A deaf person cannot enjoy a film without subtitles or sign language interpretation.
  • A blind person cannot appreciate an exhibition without descriptions in audio or electronic format or in Braille.
  • People with poor reading comprehension will not understand a technical description written by a curator.
  • Even the general public sometimes does not understand a curator's text.
  • Stairs can also be an obstacle for parents with small children, people on crutches, or those with sore knees.
  • Those who are not fluent in Czech will also appreciate a subtitled film.
  • It is difficult for anyone – even those who can see – to buy a ticket on a poorly designed website.

Accessibility is important for everyone, not just people with disabilities. It can offer a shared experience for all of us.

What we have already prepared

In collaboration with the organization Art in the City, we have created a map of accessible sculptures located in public spaces as part of the sculpture festival of the same name.

Our goal was to bring specific works closer to those who would not normally have the opportunity to see them, for example, because they have visual impairments. Even so, it is still possible for them to encounter these works.

We have prepared descriptions of all the sculptures and installations in both Czech and English. They are available on the Art in the City website, as well as in the form of QR codes located on information boards near specific works. We also organized a series of guided walks with live audio descriptions and the option of a tactile experience.

Connections with other institutions

We are collaborating with our partners on the implementation of the project:

What else are we doing in the area of accessibility?

The Open Season project is just the tip of the iceberg – we have been systematically addressing accessibility in culture since the beginning of our candidacy for the title of ECoC 2028, and it is a commitment for us. You can read more information here.

Contact:

Project curator: Agata Etmanowicz - agata@art-impact.pl
Project manager: Tereza Milota Mitošinková - tereza.milota.mitosinkova@budejovice2028.cz