ABOUT US
The whole town of Broumov is applying for the title of European Capital of Culture. The candidacy was approved by the town council in the summer of 2020 and its preparation was entrusted by the Council to the non-profit organization called Broumov - Town of Culture Endowment Fund, established in cooperation with Agentura pro rozvoj Broumovska (Broumovsko Development Agency).
WHAT IS THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE BROUMOV – TOWN OF CULTURE ENDOWMENT FUND?
The purpose of the endowment fund is the development of the town and the surrounding region through the support and development of local culture, even in the sense of a more general perception of the culture of life and approach to the environment. The endowment fund is also a platform for establishing more intensive cooperation, which could include other stakeholders in the field of culture across the region in the future - regardless of the success of the candidacy.
The Broumov - Town of Culture Endowment Fund today consists of mainly the people of the Broumov 2028 organizing team. They are all united by the love for the town - whether they were born here, settled in it, or "just" fell in love with it. They have a common vision - a living town of culture, a good place to live for all who live in it, a town with future.
MARIE SILONDI
Candidacy Coordinator
Marie studied theory of culture at Charles University and MSc. International Management at Teesside University in the UK. In 2002, she co-founded LIBAT in France - a hybrid laboratory for art and new technologies which has become part of several international projects. She taught at the Prague City University and worked as an external consultant for the Creative Incubator, an educational project organized as a part of Pilsen 2015 - the European Capital of Culture. She fulfilled her interest in connecting creativity and business as the executive director of a recognized jewellery studio ZORYA. She enjoys spending her free time with family and friends, taking care of her little cottage and adjoining garden, occasionally playing the violin, practicing yoga, meditating or going on hikes. According to her, the most important values are love and truthfulness.
Marie does not live permanently in the Broumov region, but, as she says, she succumbed to its charm immediately. She likes its landscape, the views from the monastery windows, the Broumov farms and the local Opat beer.
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JAN ŠKOLNÍK
Executive Director of the Broumov - Town of Culture Endowment Fund
Jan is a co-owner of a globally operating company and at the same time a Broumov patriot, who is actively involved in the region. He graduated from the Summer Management School at Malik Institute of the St. Gallen University and then from Strategic Management at The Nottingham Trent University. It was there that he got inspired by the idea of fulfilling the "Think globally, act locally" concept. Business brought him to the Broumov Region and the beauty of the place and the character of the local people charmed him so much that he moved there permanently. He founded the Broumov Development Agency; the aim of which is a long-term revitalization of the Broumov region. In his free time he enjoys sports, spending time with his family and thinking about the meaning and functioning of the world. For Jan it is important to be patient, to seek pleasure in cooperation and to encourage people around him to be responsible and through this encourage them to freedom.
So what does Jan value the most about the Broumov region? He especially values the strength of its soul, its fragility and also its resilience.
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PAVLA JENKOVÁ
We Like Broumov (Region) Grant Programme manager/production and organization of the OnStage project
Pavla studied Social and Pastoral Work and Gender Studies at Charles University and dedicated her professional life to the non-profit sector. She was the program director of the Via Foundation; she worked as a social worker, working with foreigners, and was also a part of a Polish non-profit organization focusing on the promotion of labour rights. In her spare time she enjoys reading, playing theatre, hiking and volunteering in several environmentally oriented organizations. Solidarity, openness and equality are important to Pavla in life.
Not so long ago, Pavla decided to exchange the bustle of the city for the peace of where she came from and moved back to the Broumov region. In addition to the silence and the local architecture she likes the silhouettes of the hills that surround the region and the sense of belonging of the local community, which according to her is the basis of all nice things.
ŽANETA VÁVROVÁ
Coordinator of national and international cooperation
Žaneta studied marketing communication at Tomas Bata University in Zlín and Arts Management at the Prague University of Economics and Business. She specializes in fine arts. She gained her experience working for various artists an institutions as well as from working on her own projects. Her family roots and projects she participated in, including the Symposium of Illustration, led her back to Broumov. Since 2019, she has been running the Broumov Educational and Cultural Centre. She loves Nordic movies, good food and art of all kinds. Freedom, respect and openness are important to her.
In the Broumov region, she loves trails that lead out of the town with a view of the hills, the facades of the houses on the square and the Broumov Baroque sky.
JITKA SMOLÍKOVÁ
Production of the new visual identity of the town / communication
Jitka tasted the world of cultural and artistic production during her studies at the Broumov grammar school; for example through the Experimental Platform Zkažený moučník. Her second home is Zlín, where she went to study marketing communications and arts management. During her internship abroad she participated in communication and production at the Czech Centre Rotterdam, but she values her experience from the Zlin Design Week the most - leading a large team, participating in international projects and the opportunity to support young design talents. Thanks to Zlin Design Week she got back to Broumov. She likes to spend her time behind the camera, with a cup of coffee or a book and her chair Řehoř. According to her, humility, creativity and a positive attitude are important in life.
When it comes to Broumov, she likes its charisma the most, the illustrations in the greenhouse in the monastery garden and the alley around the former brewery, which helps unleash the imagination.
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PETRA KULTOVÁ
Programme Coordinator
Petra graduated from the Department of Translation Studies, Faculty of Arts at Charles University, focusing on the German language. She spent one year on a research stay in Berlin and, after her studies, her path led her to the Czech Radio, specifically to the Czech Radio Vltava station, where she worked as a presenter and editor for cultural and opinion journalism programmes. She led the show Akcent, which brought her to the finals of the Journalist Award, organized by the Open Society Fund Prague. She was also part of the team that prepared the music show Concert for Animals, which won one of the most prestigious international awards, Prix Europe 2021. In her free time Petra likes to go on trips, ideally by bike to the forest. Along the way, she looks for public bookcases and searches for poetry collections that somebody put away.
With regards to the Bromouv Region Petra loves the beauty of the Baroque churches of the area and the bold plans of the people she meets here. She is also fascinated by the story of the nearly forgotten Czech Olympian (of German nationality) Emeric Rath.
IVANA ČUŘÍKOVÁ
Communication
Ivana spent her childhood in Broumov. Inspired by her work experience of Broumov's cultural events, she went to the Prague University of Economics and Business to study Arts Management. Together with her classmates, she founded the Mapamátky project; the aim of which is to popularize Prague's architecture. She co-organized the exhibition Všednost at the Museum of Art and Design in Benešov and you could also meet her working as a production assistant at the Dvořák International Music Festival in Prague. In her free time, you will most often see her with a book and a cup of good coffee observing and exploring the world, either in the streets of towns and cities or in nature. Relationships, respect and openness are important values to Ivana.
When it comes to the Broumov region, she likes its peace, the space and atmosphere of the panorama of the hills that surround it.
ANNA SMÉKALOVÁ
Local Participation Coordinator
Anna studied History of European Culture and Comparative Studies at Charles University. She spent part of her studies at the Sorbonne in Paris. She worked as a lecturer at the National Gallery in the collection of modern and contemporary art and collaborated on projects with other educational institutions. She is actively involved in experimental theatre production and in the development of the Hoprich Cultural Centre in the parish of Martínkovice, where she is currently working on the preparation of a residency program focusing on artistic research and scientific research projects with educational outputs.
She chose the Broumov region for herself and her family as a place where she can live full, focused and a slow life in accordance with her values. She wants to work here to build an active civil society, which, together with adaptability, diversity and solidarity, she considers to be a fundamental pillar for Europe's future.
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LUCIE ROJKOVIČOVÁ
Coordinator of the project and administrative support for the candidacy
During her studies, Lucie focused on regional development and tourism. From under the Giant Mountains her steps led to Prague and after that to Broumov, which appealed to her so much that she decided to stay permanently. In her work, she focuses mainly on tourism, grants and communication. She likes to spend her free time in nature, travelling or doing crafts. She likes Czech cuisine and sport, although as she admits with a smile, she likes the latter a little less sometimes. Honesty, empathy, kindness and respect for the elderly are important values for her.
So what does Lucie love the most about Broumov? “Views from the windows of my apartment; for example, the view of the Broumov Walls or the Church of St. Margaret in Šonov! Also the view of the kestrels flying above the square and the fact that we all know each other here in Broumov."
MONIKA LUKAŠÁKOVÁ
Chairwoman of the Broumov - Town of Culture Endowment Fund
Monika is a Broumov council member for culture. She graduated from the Faculty of Economics and Administration at the University of Pardubice. She lived in various Czech cities before eventually returning to her hometown of Broumov. Although her first work experience was in marketing, her journey gradually changed and led her to accounting and grants. She likes to spend her free time in the Broumov countryside or in her garden, ideally with her children. She sees honesty, understanding and tolerance as the most important values.
So what does Monika like the most about the Broumov region? She says that, for her, it is the tranquil location, the surrounding villages and the picturesque town centre of Broumov.
VLADIMÍR BYSTROV
Consultant
Vladimír graduated from the University of Economics in Prague, but even before that he started to work in the media. His first work experience was in the compatriotic newspaper Nový domov during an internship in Canada. In the Czech Republic he was a part of Lidové noviny and the weekly Týden. He also spent some time producing and promoting several musicals. For the last 18 years he has focused on communication and Public Relations; he co-owns a leading Czech PR agency Bison & Rose and, in the summer semesters, he lectures at the Metropolitan University in Prague. In his free time you can meet him among the herb beds, which he likes to take care of. He values humility, sincerity and openness in life.
He completely succumbed to the magic of the Broumov region thanks to his wife, whose family comes from here. And what does Vladimir like best here? "The architecture; the rawness of the border settlements and forests and, finally, the people who have decided not to fall into grey and mediocrity and who, even in the difficult conditions of the remote region, are trying to create something, do it properly and stand their ground."
David Kašpar
Advisor
David Kašpar is a graduate of the Department of Production at DAMU in Prague where he still works as an assistant professor. He has long been involved in the cultural and community revitalization of Prague suburbs, public spaces, issues of creative and strategic development of the city and cultural management. Since 2018, he has been the Deputy Mayor of the City District of Prague 10. His main political motto is: Culture and education are important departments of state. He loves the region, especially because his wife is from the near-by town of Trutnov and her family has a cottage in Broumovsko. You could say he was married into it. And he definitely doesn't regret it!
