16 Aug 2014
The West Bohemian city of Pilsen, well-known throughout the world for its production of beer will become a European Capital of Culture in 2015. Themes will touch on personalities and stories connected with Pilsen. Eight flagship programs are being prepared: the season of Le Cirque Nouveau; enlivening public spaces; exhibitions of Jiří Trnka and Bohumír Lindauer; opening former industrial halls up for art; West Bohemian Baroque; Hidden City; and festivals prepared in collaboration with Smetana Days, Hidden City, Lively Street, Finale Festival and others.
Pilsen's transformation into Czech cultural metropolis will begin as early as autumn 2014, when Manège Carré Senart lays anchor in the centre of the city: a magical manège of the fine artist Françoise Delarozière from the Parisian theatre company Royal de Luxe, for which he has created a number of giant puppets strolling through the streets of world cities.
The opening ceremony on January 17th, 2015 will begin with the ringing of the four church bells that will be put back in St. Bartholomew's Cathedral, more than 70 years after Nazi occupiers confiscated them and had them melted down. “The evening launching the European Capital of Culture project will be full of music, images, suspense and emotions”, Petr Forman, the Artistic Chief of the project, says. Moments of suspense will be delivered by the Swiss tightrope walker David Dimitri, who will be accompanied by other Czech and international artists and acrobats.
The Season of Le Cirque Nouveau will begin in conjuction with the opening ceremony. Thanks to performances by international artists audiences will have the opportunity to become acquainted with world class acts of this genre. Local citizens and visitors to Pilsen alike can look forward to a festival of light, nine weeks of Baroque, monumental celebrations of the 70th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, exhibitions of Jiří Trnka and Ladislav Sutnar, contemporary design and works from the collections of the Villa Stuck Museum and the Lenbachhaus Gallery in Munich.
The history of industrial spaces will come alive in a series of events – Factories for Imagination – running from April till December 2015. “Pilsen is a city of industry, made up of factory premises to a great extent. We want to return premises no longer in use to the citizens and give them meaning again. Fascinating industrial space is the former power station of Pilsner Urquell, where a top-class exhibition of contemporary European design will open in April 2015,” Jiří Sulženko, the Programme Director, reveals.
The Czech Tourist Authority – CzechTourism provides the promotional support for the Pilsen European Capital of Culture 2015 project. The press release has been created in cooperation with the organization Pilsen 2015. More information on Pilsen 2015 at www.plzen2015.eu
For more information contact:
Andrea Holden
Czech Tourism Media Relations
