The Cultural Institute Czech Centres together with the Office of the EXPO Commissioner General and the professional public have evaluated the applications from the open call for cultural programs for the upcoming World EXPO in Japan. The final form of the program will be discussed with thirty applicants. Among them are, for example, a joint project of the Czech Philharmonic and Circus La Putyka or the National Theatre Brno. There are also representatives of progressive personalities and groups such as the organist and composer Katta Vox, the singer-songwriter Anna Blomqvist Vaverková or the Lunchmeat collective, which combines electronic music with digital art.
In September, the jury selected the finalists from a record 186 applications. The cultural program will complement the business dimension of Czech participation at EXPO 2025 in Osaka.
Given the architecture of the Czech pavilion, which includes a multifunctional auditorium, and its attractive and accessible location, projects designed primarily for indoor presentation are being sought. The central theme of the exhibition is Creating a future society for our lives. The theme of the Czech participation is Talent and Creativity for Life.
"We very much appreciate the interest of the cultural community in joining the program of the Czech National Pavilion at EXPO 2025. And we are delighted that we had a rich selection of projects at our disposal. We would like to thank all those interested. At the moment we are in contact with the artists or art groups and ensembles that have been shortlisted. We will discuss with them the parameters and funding options for their participation. The program must consist not only of individually distinctive projects with an international reputation but also as a whole must represent the diverse and inspiring Czech art and cultural scene," says Přemysl Pela, Programme Director of the cultural part of the Czech participation at EXPO 2025.
"I have built the concept of Czech participation at EXPO 2025 on the strength of Czech talent and creativity, which have proven to help overcome even the most distant borders - not only in the past but also in the present. I am convinced that the Czech cultural program will captivate the Japanese audience and strengthen our mutual relations in the years to come. Just as it did after the success of the Czechoslovak pavilion in 1970. I must say that we are absolutely delighted with the number of applications we have received. We honestly did not expect such a huge interest from the cultural community, we appreciate it very much," says Ondřej Soška, the Commissioner General of Czech participation at EXPO 2025.
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Among the successful projects, we can find proven staples of the Czech music scene, which for the Japanese audience function essentially as synonyms for Czechia. These are mainly classical music projects. However, they will show themselves in a contemporary light - complemented by innovative and cross-genre connections with other artistic ensembles. This also applies to the planned performance of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra and Cirque La Putyka.
"The Czech Philharmonic tried out a collaboration with Cirk La Putyka on the opening night of the Smetana Litomyšl festival. On the basis of this successful project, which entertained both musicians and audience, we offered this project through an open cultural call to the organizers of EXPO 2025 and we are pleased that it was selected for the program of the National Day of Czech Participation, which we are very much looking forward to and we believe will appeal to the Japanese audience, which is known for its love of Czech music," says David Mareček, General Director of the Czech Philharmonic.
In addition to the programmatic quality of the project, the jury took into account the Czech-Japanese cultural and artistic link. This is an extraordinary opportunity for Czech artists to present themselves on the world stage, so part of the negotiations with them is the co-financing of their participation.
Other projects impressed the jury with their creative innovation or use of modern technologies, such as representatives of performing arts and new circus or the progressive music scene. The program will not leave out the youngest EXPO visitors either, with puppet shows and children's music productions planned for them.
The younger generation of artists will also be represented by cellist Tomáš Jamník, who also works in the German capital outside Czechia. "If there is anywhere where it makes sense to promote Czech culture, it is in Japan, where it is always warmly welcomed and expected. Every time I visit this country, I admire how much it appreciates classical music - beautiful and acoustically tuned halls are filled with enthusiastic listeners, who often create an atmosphere like at a rock concert. I think we can still learn a lot from each other," he adds about participating in the cultural program of the Czech National Pavilion.
The expert partners of the cultural challenge are the Institute of Arts - Theatre Institute, a contributory organization of the Ministry of Culture supporting the presentation of live art abroad, and the service organization Nová síť supporting live art and open culture. Nová síť is, among other things, the administrator of the Czech cultural network Nová síť, which brings together more than 30 organizations across the regions of Czechia.
The cultural call was announced in July 2024 and ran for about two months. In mid-September, the expert jury met. The finalization of the cultural program will take place over the next two months.
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About Czech pavilion at EXPO 2025 In December 2022, after more than twenty years, the Office of the Czech Commissioner General announced an open anonymous architectural competition for the design of the national pavilion for EXPO 2025. A total of 38 teams entered the competition, from which an expert jury headed by world-renowned architect Eva Jiřičná selected the winning design in the shape of a glass spiral by Apropos Architects in March 2023. The load-bearing structure of the building will consist of modern wooden panels, while the façade will be made of art glass, which has a centuries-old tradition in Czechia. The National Pavilion will offer a worthy backdrop for the Czech participation in EXPO 2025, which will be held from April to October 2025 on the artificial island of Yumeshima in the Osaka Bay. The pavilion will house a permanent exhibition, a multifunctional auditorium, facilities for business meetings, a restaurant, a VIP lounge and a relaxation area in front of the pavilion with a view of the sea.
About Czech participation at EXPO 2025 Czechia as an independent state will participate in the World EXPO for the sixth time. Ondřej Soška, who won the tender of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic last spring with his concept and theme "Talent and Creativity for Life", has been the Commissioner General since September 2022. Czechia should present itself in Osaka not only with what the Japanese know very well and have long admired, such as Czech glass and classical music, but especially with Czech innovations, nanotechnologies, promising start-ups and regional talents.
