AJ 19 - CONTEMPORARY ART AND CULTURAL LIFE IN THE CR generally THE MODERN SOCIETY: art is more AVAILABLE than ever

- cinema, cultural centres, galeries, books (the number of issued books in the CR: 30-50 a day!), libraries, radio, cds - and all of that also available through the internet =both positive and negative + possibility of getting it for everybody, of doing it for more people - lose of the exclusiveness (J. S. Bach went 320km on foot to hear his idol later also his teacher the organist Dietrich Buxtehude playing!!), too big choice, disorientation, problem to distinguish what is good, problem to find the good things

"art" in DAY-TO-DAY LIFE is more COMMON, but only some people are approaching it active, want to dedicate themselves to it completely -> they want simple songs, books, ... background music, ... problem: a lot of "artists" are able and ready to give it to them the beginning of this situation: the 20.century. example: the beginning of the radio...

the consume "art" is that one which is paid. people do not have a problem with paying much money for a "star" and especially in the CR the STAR does not equal the QUALITY of course there is a group of people who are interested in the arts and visiting the concerts, exhibitions and theatres or even SUPPORT the artists UNWORLDLY (so that they do not have to accommodate themselves to the ideas of the benefactor) but generally: the artists are often UNDERPAID (exceptions: festivals, sponsored - private clubs owned by benefactors)

CONSEQUENCES: artists, if not having any other possibility to earn money, have to: A) do popular things, accommodated to the request of the market B) except their own art do also something to earn money - in music: playing in bars, restaurants, at parties.. or composing music (also not so well paid sometimes)

INSTITUTIONS IN THE CR: an extensive network of cultural facilities and institutions

The central facilities and institutions are established by the Ministry, while local and regional institutions are usually established by the local administrations. The most important central facilities and institutions: The National Gallery in Prague, established in 1796. It administrates collections of ancient and modern art and a library of more than 50,000 volumes. The National Museum in Prague, established in 1818. It publishes several journals and has large mineralogical and entomological collections. The National Museum includes also the Historical Museum, the Museum of Czech Music, the Nprstek Museum of Asian, African and American Cultures, and the Central Office of Museology. The National Library in Prague, established in 1958 through the merger of several public libraries operating since 1771. One of them was the Charles University Library founded in 1348. It holds about 6 million volumes and collections of old manuscripts and incunabula. The National Theatre in Prague, opened in 1883. It was built with voluntary contributions by people and unions at the time of the Czech National Revival. The Prague City Gallery, established in 1963. Collections: Pragensia, works by 19th and 20th century Czech artists, library with about 1,100 volumes. Rudolfinum opened 1885 (built by the Czech Bank to its 50 years anniversary), today the settle of the Galery Rudolfinum and the Czech Philharmony National Film Archive in 2010 it celebrated its 75. anniversary; the biggest Czech film and TV-production collection cinema Ponrepo Organized by the state, it should be an assurance of the quality, but I can not say it is everytime so (National Theatre!!?) Except of them there are a lot of smaller local or private institutions GALERIES, THEATRES (ABC vs. inohern klub), CONCERT HALLS (big arenas vs. Chodovsk tvrz) and CLUBS, LIBRARIES, CINEMAS (big international complexes vs. Svtozor) some of them consumeoriented, some of them leaded by people who really like arts and try to give the quality to the people

OTHER CULTURAL CENTRES in the CR: bigger cities like Brno, Pilsen (The city of the culture 2015 - EU), Ostrava, esk Budjovice, Tbor, Tel...; but also special places with only one far-famed club or festival... -> The most important thing: people have to learn again to go to concerts, exhibitions and so on. Not to big halls personal meeting! They have to know, that they are also important and responsible for the culture as recipients.