The selection procedure for the concept of Czech participation in the PQ ends on November 30

Prague - Music, weather, and politics are the programmatic pillars of the Prague Quadrennial (PQ) scenography and theater space 2015. At the same time, they serve as the assignment for visual artists, scenographers, architects, and designers who wish to be involved in the design of the Czech exhibition. The organizers also concurrently announced a competition for the concept of the section focused on theater architecture and space. Competition proposals must be submitted by November 30.
    "The winner will be decided by a seven-member jury, which will include Tomáš Žižka, Marek Cpin, Kamila Polívková, and Jan Dušek," announced today by the spokesperson of this exhibition, Silvie Marková, via ČTK. PQ will take place from June 18 to June 28, 2015. According to estimates, over 5,000 delegates from 80 countries are expected, with more than 50,000 visitors anticipated. More information can be found at www.pq.cz.
    Similar to the entire Prague Quadrennial, which works with the intersections of scenography and theater art into other fields and everyday life, the competition proposals are also expected to show innovation and a broader context. Competing artists should also focus on lighting and sound design, performance, or costume, taking into account current trends.
    "We would like the creators to focus on spaces in their proposals that influence relationships between people and provide a platform for sharing ideas, stories, and social responsibility. And to perceive scenography as an environment that in contemporary theater influences spatial and mental connections, as well as the bond between the performance and the audience," commented PQ artistic director Sodja Lotkerová.
    Competitors are not restricted in the technologies they choose, nor in other parameters. In the case of the Section of Countries and Regions, the only determinant is the size of the exhibition (25-50 square meters) and the budget for implementation, which should not exceed 750,000 crowns. For the Space section, the costs are set at 200,000 CZK. If the proposal accounts for a higher amount, competitors must provide financial coverage from other sources.
    "Many national exhibitions at PQ 2011 showed the creativity with which one can approach the topic. From complete minimalism in Japan's presentation to Brazil's winning exhibition, whose authors connected scenography with pop culture and demonstrated its shift in today's restless world," stated the executive director of PQ, Daniela Pařízková. In 1999, the Golden Triga was awarded to the exhibition by Šimon Caban and Simona Rybáková.
    The Prague Quadrennial, which has a current budget of 63 million crowns for the four-year period, has once again received support from the European Union. According to Pařízková, this is a grant of over 760,000 euros (20.6 million crowns). "The ministerial grant amounts to 34 million, with approximately three million made up of additional grants. Together with what foreign partners contribute, the total approaches 100 million," she told ČTK.
    PQ 2011 brought the state twice as much as the state subsidies amounted to. "According to a report by Economic impacT, every crown of the budget generated nearly six crowns in economic turnover and two crowns in GDP. Visitors spent over 164 million crowns, with an increase in turnover reflected in 393 million," noted the director of the Arts Institute - Theater Institute, Pavla Petrová.