Since 1990 my main goal has been to become a producer for Czech alternative music and theater groups to Europe and to invite foreign bands and performance and modern dance groups and artists to the Czech and Slovak Republic. Finally I was organizing international tours for a wide range of artists on a global scale. My experience and connections inspired me to establish the Social-Cultural Centre in Prague. It was called the same as my agency and record label: Black Hand. The Social-Cultural Centre started to operate in Prague 6 Dejvice in 1991 and lasted till 1997. We managed to create an autonomous space for younger artists and activists from the fields of environmental and animal rights protection, human rights and feminism, promotion of alternative lifestyles and community development.

In 2001 I started a similar project in Broumov, where I was a driving force of the alternative art space called Centrum Broumov. This project lasted from 2001 till 2003. Part of the program was a four month international art festival called “Broumov Cultural Summer”, which continued for several years on a smaller scale even after the Centrum Broumov closed.

I have experience with the independent art scene for nearly 40 years. I think that the 90's were the most fruitful and vital periode in Czech Republic, in terms of independent culture even in the entire Europe including USA. Funding for art and culture from institutions and sponsors, public funding for alternative venues and autonomous youth spaces was the best then. My opinion is that it started to diminish after the “Schengen agreement” of the European government and after the founding of the European Union, Then the squat movement and club scene was systematically erased in Europe. Parallelly the boom of electronic media, Internet and social networks reduced the interest of youth to develop their own artistic creativity or interest in similar subcultures. After I realized this lack of curiosity for alternative culture, I cancelled all my activities and started in Broumov small regional publishing house for books about local history and culture.

The independent art scene, as well as the environmentally, human rights or animal rights oriented movements, within which I played for years an active role, attracted young people not only for the philosophy and values behind it, but also for the methods how to achieve it: D.I.Y. approach, cooperation and solidarity, operating on an international scale. All was usually interconnected and many of those who were active in alternative musical scene would automatically share some values of the environmental movement and human rights movement. Rise of such a movement triggered a need to establish open spaces; many new clubs, theaters, art centers, autonomous centers, galleries, squats, site-specific projects and festivals appeared in this time. There was already a strong tradition in the West, but it was something relatively new for Czechs. After decenia under the oppression, living in underground, this was a challenge for me, as well as for most of my mates and allies. Especially during the early ́90s there emerged a whole new network of spaces, agencies, artists and producers and I felt our dream was coming through. Almost in every small town there was a place attributed to independent art, in every larger city there were many, with a variety of focus and with different backgrounds. Touring of bands and theater companies was frequent and the general public was grateful for almost everything. We had the feeling we were engaged in creating a permanent network of a vivid scene that reflects recently gained freedom and self-determination.

Unfortunately, this “temporary paradies” did not last for a long and already during the mid ´90s and especially at the end of ´90s, things started to change dramatically to the worse. The driving forces were mainly the interests of developers, property owners, speculants and the state itself, represented by both local and governmental politicians. They managed to eliminate and neglect the majority of independent cultural spaces and communities. Autonomous movement turned out to be too weak and not prepared to resist the power of authorities. Within a few years it practically disappeared. Many actors shifted their activities towards the official cultural structures, or even left the culture for good. 

Of course, since then many different initiatives fighting for better conditions for independent culture on the local or on the governmental scale emerged. Anyway I still consider the current situation getting worse every year. Only few similar oriented spaces remain: I conseder in Prague the club Roxy or Meet Factory the relics of “old time”. But their dramaturgy and way of operation changed and their status of independence is dubious. There are different factors in play, such as the legislation of non-profit activities, general approach towards the culture and towards the community cultural projects especially. Artists, who are not integrated in the mainstream, not employed by official cultural agencies or by entertainment industry, can hardly survive and have very limited chance to exhibit their work. Outside of bigger towns, such as Prague or Brno, Ostrava or Pilsen the situation is even worse. Those poor conditions drive young artists to leave. That is the reason why the local art scenes in smaller towns and villages are practically non existing.

As a former citizen of Prague and for the last nearly 25 years a villager in the Broumov area in the North-East Bohemia, I can compare and feel the differences: Broumov artistic activities are almost 100% imported, and no initiative comes from locals. Very seldom, not on regular bases are sometimes initiated by individual activists, thanks to their personal engagement. Usually they burn out and stop, without followers. Small towns and remote regions suffer from lack of culture life, which has rather negative impact on social and political situation.

Petr Bergman, Prague November 2023

Bergamo

Anthology of Forgotten Thoughts
Photographer: Archive of the artist