DEVELOPMENT OF THE CREATIVE AND CULTURAL SECTORS IN THE PLZEŇ REGION
Since November 2025, DEPO2015 has been an integral part of the strategic development of the cultural and creative industries in the Pilsen Region. This initiative includes mapping cultural and creative industries entities within the region, facilitating their networking, and involving them in development projects.
Learn more about the Strategy for the Development of Cultural and Creative Industries in the Pilsen Region HERE.
NEW: DEPO2015 Shared Studio
Inspired by the ideas of young creatives presented at the NEXT STEP: CULTURE event, the DEPO2015 Shared Studio is being established. It is a free space and community for creative people aged 15–30, primarily for high school students, but also open to college students and young creators not currently enrolled in school. The pilot program is funded by the Pilsen Region.
The first meeting took place on October 14, 2026, and subsequent meetings are held every Wednesday from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
The upcoming dates for November are: November 11, 18, and 25.
We’ll get to know each other, discuss what you enjoy, and start planning how the studio will operate starting in January 2027. Meetings are for registered participants only; those who cannot attend in person can join online.
You can register HERE.
Contact: Barbora Mrázová
+420 724 602 893
Event for the Development of KKO:
NEXT STEP: CULTURE
From the Classroom to the Cultural Stage
On May 15, 2026, the NEXT STEP: CULTURE – From the Classroom to the Cultural Stage event took place at the DEPO2015 Bus Hall. The event welcomed a total of 105 participants: students from secondary art schools, students from art colleges, their teachers, and professionals from the creative field.
Opening: DEPO Creative Academy
The event was opened by Mgr. Eliška Bartáková, Pilsen City Councilor for Culture and Heritage Preservation.
Following that, the director of DEPO2015, Mgr. Soňa Rychlíková, presented the purpose of the planned DEPO Creative Academy educational program, which is intended to educate graduates of arts schools and could help them enter the job market.
Morning: Open Dialogue
The “View & Perspective” session, jointly organized by the Center for Community Work in Western Bohemia and Johan z.ú., was based on a facilitated roundtable methodology. The discussion took place simultaneously in nine groups led by trained facilitators. The goal was to learn directly from high school and college students what they need to find employment and develop their creative careers in the Pilsen Region after graduation.
The workshop also included a session for participants to propose their own projects. Participants submitted dozens of proposals, and in the vast majority of them, they see themselves as the future users of the proposed solutions; their ideas are therefore a direct reflection of what they feel is missing in the region. The projects most often revolved around four themes: accessible spaces for creative work; support for showcasing and selling their own work; low-threshold community spaces for meeting and sharing; and opportunities for hands-on experience and education. In the latter area, suggestions included a virtual marketplace for commissions for emerging designers, involving young photographers and filmmakers in documenting city events, and creating work for local government. Participants also noted that while school prepares them for creative work, it does not prepare them for functioning in the real world: they lack knowledge about entrepreneurship and navigating the job market in the KKO.
Across all groups, structural issues raised included the availability of housing, the limited range of college programs in the region, and a shortage of job opportunities in the cultural and creative sectors. Participants most often draw inspiration from the everyday life around them: from emotions, humor, and the stories of the people they meet.
Afternoon: Opportunities and Inspiration from the Field
After lunch together, Lenka Kodýtková and Eduard Plic presented their programs, ArtCamp and GoHigher, respectively—two specific opportunities for further creative development during their studies.
This was followed by a panel discussion with practicing creatives from the Pilsen Region, who shared experiences from the early stages of their careers and offered interesting advice.
Panelists:
Josef Sedlák (Akrobad) – visual artist, illustrator, and street artist
Tereza Fialová and Anna Eštoková (studio t&a) – graphic designers and founders of their own studio
Vít Voráček and Martin Pertlíček (36 Sirek) – multimedia artists combining traditional techniques with modern medi
The entire program was moderated by Filip Koryta, aka Dr. Filipitch.
Detailed results of the facilitation can be found in the final report attached below.
DEPO2015 is currently undergoing the second phase of its gradual renovation; upon its completion in the fall of 2026, it will expand its offerings to include several new studios. Other spaces will also reopen, including rental containers, the Ústředna café, and the area dedicated to interactive exhibits. The participants’ ideas about what is missing in the region resonate with the vision for DEPO2015’s future operations, which aims to support young creatives as they enter the job market by providing the continuing education and infrastructure they currently lack.
We thank all participants, educators, and speakers for their openness and for the time they devoted to the meeting. The meeting took place with financial support from the Pilsen Region and the City of Pilsen.
Update: Ideas Give Rise to the Shared Studio
Participants in NEXT STEP: CULTURE repeatedly mentioned the need for accessible creative spaces and low-threshold venues where they can meet and share ideas. DEPO2015 is responding to these suggestions with a new program called “Shared Studio.” Starting in October 2026, young creative people will meet every Wednesday to get to know one another and help determine how the studio will operate starting in 2027. For more information and to register, click HERE.
