Plzeň Region will begin searching for restorers for dozens of projects

Plzeň - The Plzeň region plans to announce a tender for restorers and other specialists in the coming weeks. From the so-called Norwegian funds, it received a grant for its 11 institutions, mainly museums and galleries, and it needs to find specialists to implement dozens of projects with a total value of about 20 million CZK. Among the contracts is, for example, the restoration of glass patterns and rare cartons by Mikoláš Aleš, repairs of folk furniture, and complete digitization of all issues of the newspaper Pravda. Aleš Tuček from the Plzeň regional office told ČTK about this.
    "If the council approves it on September 2, we will immediately announce the tender. The opening of the envelopes would take place on October 20 to 21. The first projects could be implemented by the end of the year, with the deadline for completion being the end of 2010," he explained.
    The region submitted the grant application from the Norwegian funds in 2005, and it was awarded in the fall of 2007. According to officials, however, the situation is complicated by the strengthening of the crown, which ultimately brings 20 percent less money in Czech currency, in which the contracts will be realized. "The project was originally developed with an exchange rate of about 30.10 CZK per euro for approximately 21 million CZK; the recalculation of the obtained grant after the strengthening of the crown represents about 15.9 million CZK," Tuček stated. He added that the final difference could be lower if "better prices" can be negotiated in the bidding process.
    Regional councilor Martin Baxa said that he would propose to the council and the assembly to cover the exchange rate difference. "The project to the Norwegian funds could signify the beginning of significant restoration and care for the collections of museums and galleries, and it would be a shame if the grant had to be returned because of this," he added.
    The region's project was divided into two areas. In the first, museums, galleries, and other institutions could apply for funds for the restoration and conservation of their collections, and in the second, for equipping depositories. The values of the smallest contracts range from 40,000 crowns, with the highest ones amounting to around 1.5 million CZK.
    Among the most financially demanding is the restoration of nine cartons by Mikoláš Aleš, which need to be cleaned, fissures consolidated, glued onto new canvas, and fixed, among other things. The region will further seek specialists for altar repairs, restoration of weapons, musical instruments, books, and special collections of flags. Experts will also be needed for part of the archive of glass patterns, or samples for the famous Art Nouveau glass produced in the Šumava region at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.