Cities

Description

The aim of the project is to open contemporary arts to the public by establishing a media platform.
Within the Czech media landscape there is not any website that would address the actual issues of
contemporary architecture, urban planning and other related fields on regular basis. The project is
based on a partnership of 4AM, which guarantees proposed themes with respect to expertise, and
CMED, which participates in publishing online Daily Referendum and thus possesses the knowledge
of journalistic discipline. Within the project the unit called “Cities” will be established, as part of both
Daily Referendum´s website and 4AM website. Within the latter it will serve as a multimedia
platform. Both platforms will be focused on interdisciplinary approach, which perceives
contemporary architecture and art in relation to physical space, culture and politics. The unit “Cities”
will provide space for critics to express themselves and enable them to address broader audience.
Professional journalistic leadership will encourage them and provide them with new skills, especially
with the knowledge of comprehensible language with respect to the public. The project will also
directly approach both expert and non-professional audience by themed web platforms, international
workshop, newsletters, online discussion forum and communication activities. During the initial
workshop the participants selected from number of critics will share their experience and views
across the various fields and compare them with their European colleagues. Foreign experience will
be also used during the creation of the content of both units. The project will manage to strengthen
the society´s relation to cultural institutions, because it will provide the broader public with critical
insight on functioning of those institutions and give an update on actual affairs. The proposed unit
will also contribute to sustainable development of cities by publishing articles focused on urban
planning.

Summary of project results

The main aim was to make architectural debate accessible to the general public, to provide a
platform for critically thinking professionals and to improve their skills addressing the general public.
Such a project has been missing in the Czech environment so far. The goal was achieved, but
mentoring the writers proved to be more time-consuming than expected. It also turned out that
many of them simply lack space and time, and often even motivation, to speak to ordinary readers.

As part of the project, Final beneficiary launched two online platforms. These provided space for publishing
written and audiovisual content. Final beneficiary also created a network of experts with whom we
communicated regularly and directly involved them in creating content and coming up with topics to
cover. Final beneficiary also worked with each one individually to develop the author''s writing skills, particularly
with regard to clarity for the lay reader. Final beneficiary also organised a workshop for the authors with
international experts, which served as inspiration on how to place local topics in a wider European
context. Final beneficiary regularly published the project outputs on social media and stimulated debate with the
audience.

The project has produced a group of about 30 authors, many of whom now publish regularly outside
professional journals. More than a 100 texts have been published, as well as multimedia content in
the form of videos, podcasts and audiovisual work. A Facebook page with almost 1000 followers and
an Instagram account have been set up as part of the promotion. A number of outputs on social
media have generated expert discussion, in which ordinary users have also joined in, and sparked
debates.