Background

Hradec Kralove, which is located in northeast Bohemia, is among the largest and most important municipal settlements in the Czech Republic.

The game in Hradec Kralove was closely connected with the city’s candidature for the European Capital of Culture 2015. We were looking for sustainable and innovative ideas to make Hradec Kralove a better place to live in.

Objectives

After two days of brainstorming and research, the participants generated a number of interesting ideas that provided our partners with an interesting insight into the problems. The event was co-organised by ProCulture/Open Society and the city of Hradec Kralove.

Winning idea

A Garden of Future – the renewal of Šimkovy sady

The idea concentrates on Šimkovy sady city park and its renewal to provide residents and tourists with a public space where they can rest, play and enjoy their free time in a pleasant atmosphere or attend several interesting activities. To enrich the park’s facilities and make a visit more pleasant, the park should feature a cafe, an amphitheatre, benches and tables, grills, playgrounds, a bike rental shop, etc. The team also came up with the idea of a ‘literary walk’, which would not only offer information about the most important of the city’s writers, but would also enable visitors to borrow a book from so-called book boxes. Borrowed books could be left on public transport or other places reserved for their return. Wi-Fi systems powered by solar energy would enable people to connect to the internet in the park to work, or just spend their time on computers in much more pleasant surroundings. The project would also include residents and schools in the design of particular elements, as well as in the design of the website presenting the project. 

Winning ideas from the other teams

A Space of Independent Creativity – support for cultural activities

The city lacks public spaces that are free of charge and could be used for different creative activities by NGOs or creative individuals. The idea breaks down the barriers and capitalises on the potential of a chosen area called ‘The Student Zone’. The area would be surrounded by Hradecká, Heyrovského, 17. Listopadu, and Brněnská streets, with the centre in front of the Arts College of Musical Instruments and Furniture. The Zone would become a place of independent creativity, with free billboard spaces, benches that would be used by residents and local institutions, spaces for graffiti, etc. In order to realise the project, the idea proposes the coordination of activities organised by various cultural institutions and establishing a web portal with information about the cultural events.

Multicultural Community Centre

The idea focuses on the support of public participation in creative activities, and explores the interest in the conception of a multicultural community centre through a series of workshops called ‘CAMPSITE – lets camp and create in Hradec’. Workshops would take place in Žižkovy sady in May, June and July 2010 and the programme would include activities such as camping for residents, creativity tents, campfire gatherings, concerts (unprofessional jamming), spaces for graffiti, gallery, tattoo and body painting, polystyrene sculpturing. After the workshops, the works would be presented to the public, and the multicultural community centre would collect their feedback to adjust the offer to their needs and wishes. The project would need some cooperation and support from the city council, which should be the main project manager and could support the project by offering free public transport, providing a space for the production and tents, as well as providing some financial support.

Jazz Goes to Town

The project aims to return the festival ‘Jazz Goes to Town’ its original, decentralised format, when the festival took place in numerous venues around the city. The festival still has a good programme, but faces a declining audience. The idea places the main stage on Malé náměstí square, where the central party would take place. The advertising campaign would focus on the original audience. The idea has already been discussed with the owners of the restaurant in the city centre, who have offered their support.