Artist Funding in Czech Republic
Arts councils, grants, and funding bodies for artists
Artist’s Life Foundation (Nadace Život umělce)
A Czech foundation that supports artists through grants, scholarships, and assistance schemes, including some opportunities relevant to visual artists. Its support is often smaller-scale and more flexible than state grants, making it useful for individual professional development, project costs, or targeted assistance.
Arts and Theatre Institute (Institut umění – Divadelní ústav)
A key intermediary institution for international mobility, cultural mapping, and grant information in the Czech arts sector. It is especially useful for visual artists seeking residency information, travel-related opportunities, and guidance on Czech and international funding routes; support is often informational or administered through affiliated mobility schemes rather than direct artist production grants.
City of Brno – Department of Culture
Brno is another major municipal funder, with support for contemporary arts projects, exhibitions, and cultural activities that serve the city’s cultural life. Grants are usually project-based and may favor local venues, partnerships, and public-facing artistic work.
City of Prague – Department of Culture and Tourism
Prague is one of the most important municipal funders for artists, including visual arts exhibitions, cultural events, and project-based initiatives with local public impact. Funding is generally competitive and suited to artists or organisations with a Prague connection, often covering production and presentation costs rather than open-ended support.
Creative Europe Desk Czech Republic
The Czech contact point for Creative Europe, which is crucial for internationally oriented visual arts projects, cooperation platforms, and mobility-linked work. It does not usually fund artists directly, but it helps applicants access EU-level culture grants that can cover production, travel, circulation, and partnership costs.
Czech-German Fund for the Future
A bilateral fund supporting Czech-German cooperation projects, including cultural and artistic exchange. Visual artists can use it for cross-border collaboration, exhibition exchange, and mobility-related production costs when the project has a clear Czech-German dimension.
EEA Grants – Programme Culture / Contemporary Arts
EEA Grants have supported contemporary arts projects in Czech Republic, including production, collaboration, and minor equipment purchases tied to project implementation. These calls typically favor partnerships, contemporary practice, and clearly defined deliverables, and are especially useful for artists whose work involves international cooperation or public presentation.
International Visegrad Fund
A major regional grant-maker for collaboration across Central Europe, useful for Czech visual artists working with partners in the V4 countries and beyond. It offers grants for artistic exchange, mobility, and collaborative production, with strong relevance for residencies, touring, and networking projects.
Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic
The main national public funder for arts and culture in Czech Republic, supporting visual arts through grant programs, study/creative scholarships, international cooperation, and sector-specific calls. Support is usually project-based and competitive, with funding aimed at production, exhibitions, artistic development, and cross-border exchange rather than open-ended artist salaries.
State Cultural Fund of the Czech Republic
A public cultural fund reintroduced in 2012 and open to state and non-governmental organisations active in the arts. It can support arts projects, including visual arts initiatives, usually on a competitive basis and often as project funding rather than individual unrestricted grants.
Artist Residencies in Czech Republic
6 residencies listed
ArtMill
Horažďovice, Czech Republic
ArtMill, located in the heart of Central Europe, offers a multidisciplinary residency program welcoming artists, scientists, writers, dancers, musicians, and more. Since 2004, ArtMill has provided a serene and inspiring environment for creatives to focus on their projects, away from urban distractions. Residencies range from one week to two months and include private living spaces with access to communal areas, art supplies, studios, and workshops. Participants are encouraged to engage with the community through activities like gardening, cooking, or environmental clean-ups. The program is designed to foster creativity and its connection to the natural world, promoting sustainable and regenerative practices.
FUTURA Centre for Contemporary Art
Prague, Czech Republic
FUTURA Centre for Contemporary Art is a private non-profit institution in Prague, Czech Republic, operating two large exhibition spaces and a residency programme, including AIR Futura in cooperation with 14 international art centres worldwide. It also runs residencies at a renaissance Castle in Třebešice near Kutná Hora and collaborates on programmes like VARP in New York. The programme supports multidisciplinary contemporary art through exhibitions, festivals, and artist collaborations.
Kolodiumglass, z.s.
Czech Republic
Name of Residency: Residencies for Glassmakers and ArtistsKolodiumglass offers residencies for artists who want to create artistic projects, share knowledge, experiment and expand their network. Our programs provide an inspiring environment as well as the opportunity for professional consultation and fully equipped facilities primarily for artists in glass and archaic photographic techniques. But any artist who wants to create and experiment will find their space here.The main aim of this reside
MeetFactory
Prague, Czech Republic
MeetFactory, established in 2007 in Prague, Czech Republic, is a renowned international residency program that uniquely integrates various artistic disciplines. It offers ten studios within a 3500 square meter facility, hosting over thirty artists, curators, musicians, theater directors, and writers annually. MeetFactory's residency is designed to encourage deep engagement with the Central European art scene and includes participation in MeetFactory's vibrant program of exhibitions, performances, and public events. Residents benefit from comprehensive facilities including shared kitchens, bathrooms, laundry, and workshops with technical equipment for wood and metalwork. The residency focuses on fostering international collaborations through strategic partnerships with institutions across Europe, supporting both the professional growth of its artists and the cultural enrichment of the local community.
OFFCITY AiR
Pardubice, Czech Republic
OFFCITY AiR is a residency program based in Pardubice, Czech Republic, that invites artists, architects, and theorists to explore and articulate the architectural and public spaces of the city. Established in 2016, OFFCITY AiR encourages a deep engagement with the city as a living organism and a structured environment. Each year, the residency focuses on different aspects of public spaces, having previously explored themes like visual smog, graffiti, and the trajectories of public transport. For 2024, the program supports a minimum of three projects, offering participants a residential studio for 1-3 weeks along with a daily stipend. The residency encourages public presentations of the developed works and fosters networking with local cultural entities. This platform is ideal for those looking to experiment and engage in interdisciplinary dialogues about urban space and architecture.
Retreat.cz — A Deep Work Retreat in the Czech mountains
Czech Republic
Retreat.cz is a deep work retreat in the Czech mountains for creative professionals, artists, developers and digital nomads. The minimum stay is 7 days and the house accommodates up to 8 people.You can check out the prices, availability and book our Retreat through Airbnb. We use Airbnb service to process international payments in compliance with Czech tax laws:https://www.airbnb.cz/rooms/6176686Retreat.cz was founded by Robert Vlach & Lenka Paprok:I got the idea to open a deep work retreat in t