About us

We are an initiative that stands up for free and independent culture.

We were founded in March 2026 on the initiative of students at DAMU, the Theatre Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague. We are not affiliated with any political party.

The first impulse came from steps taken by the Czech Ministry of Culture, above all its budget cuts and their possible impact on the cultural sector and on society as a whole.

Within a few days we brought together students from the arts universities and organised the first demonstration on Malostranské Square.

We also drew attention to the Minister of Culture’s rhetoric and called for his resignation.

Culture is not a luxury. It is a cornerstone of a democratic society.

It contributes to social resilience, critical thinking, the fight against disinformation and social inclusion. It supports democratic values and cultural identity.

Culture must be free to create, to criticise and to hold up a mirror to society.

We stand for independent culture and free media.

We reject political interference in cultural institutions and public service media. We demand transparent and predictable rules for funding culture, independent expert decision-making and protection of artistic freedom.

Public money must not be a reward for obedience or a punishment for criticism.

Free media and independent culture are not enemies of the state or of its political representatives. They are an essential part of an open, democratic society.

We draw attention to steps by the Ministry of Culture that we believe threaten the stability and independence of the cultural sector. We also respond to interference in the running of public service media and to planned changes to the way they are funded.

Together with the Média nedáme! (Hands Off Our Media!) and Kultura teď! (Culture Now!) initiatives, we organise public protests, connect the cultural community, urge the public to take an active interest in the future of Czech culture and media, and open up public debate on what is happening in culture and public service media.