Ostrava in Prague

Since this May Ostrava, as a candidate for the title of the European Capital of Culture 2015, has held a cultural show in the capital city of the Czech Republic entitled Ostrava in Prague. In May and June the audience in Prague could see the most successful theatres of Ostrava and their productions, singers and bands, as well as photographers and artists. Currently, as part of the festival, the visitors can see two exhibitions presenting art associated with Ostrava and its surroundings, complemented with film screenings.

From 14July to 10 September 2010, the kaVárna OSTRAVA project is held in the Manes Exhibition Hall, presenting a cross-section of Ostrava's past as well as an outlook of its future. The kaVárna OSTRAVA consists of three relatively independent parts: Collector's Ostrava, Architectural Ostrava and Dashing Ostrava. Collector's Ostrava introduces visitors to the phenomenon of collecting, which stood at the birth of today'sGallery of Fine Arts in Ostrava,to which a number of prominent figures was affiliated in the past. The exhibition therefore presents classic works with international outreach, such as the paintings by Oskar Kokoschka and František Kupka. Architectural Ostrava highlights the large number of architecturally significant buildings as well as the future project of revitalization of the Lower End of Vítkovice, prepared within framework of Ostrava's candidacy for the title of the European Capital of Culture 2015. Dashing Ostrava gives a finaltouch to the relaxing atmosphere of lively coffee houses - an integral part of the exhibition in Manes is a real coffee house operated by Café Louvre with a unique view of the National Theatre.

On Monday 23August, as an official addition requested for the "Ostrava in Prague" program, the Kouř (Smoke) and Ing. (Engineer) films from the film director Tomáš Vorel will be screened in the open-air cinema at the Střelecký Island.

Kouř (Smoke) by Tomáš Vorel and Sluneční stát (Sun State) by Martin Šulík, as films thematically linked to Ostrava, were screened as part of the festival in the Světozor cinema. Other films shown included those co-authored by Karel Reisz, an important Ostrava native. The cultural festival also brought about various theatrical performances and productions - the Bez Zábradlí Theatre hosted the National Moravian-Silesian Theatre, the Petr Bezruč Theatre or the Ostrava Puppet Theatre; the piazza of the National Theatre hosted the famous White Theatre and the majorettes from Dolní Lhota, unknown to the Prague audience. The musical line of the show featured the playing and singing of folk singer  Jarek Nohavica; the Roxy club staged the Buty band, the Akropolis Palace staged  Charlie Straight, one of the youngest Czech bands, etc.