„Basic art schools are the roots of our culture, of our love for art. On a global scale, they are a unique educational system that must be cherished, developed, and supported.“

National Festival and ZUŠ Open Projects  

ZUŠ Open – From Happening to a Respected Artistic Festival
The ZUŠ Open national festival is the largest festival of art education and a cultural event in the Czech Republic. The festival, under its brand, also holds other projects outside the main festival dates. ZUŠ Open is a festival celebrating shared joy and respect for the unique system of basic art education, whose goal is to develop art schools as a modern educational system that connects art education with practice, impacting the broad development of students and teachers. The main festival program runs over two weeks in 350 cities across the Czech Republic and offers programs for the general public across all disciplines and genres—music, dance, theater, and visual arts. Under the patronage and in collaboration with singer Magdalena Kožená and various artists and cultural institutions, it showcases the work and best practices of basic art schools. Festival Partners include: Prague Spring International Music Festival, Smetana’s Litomyšl, Czech Philharmonic, National Gallery, Concentus Moraviae, Brno Music Marathon, and many other significant institutions.

The festival's program brings carefully curated performances representing collaboration between schools and their partners in various regions, as well as individual school productions. The highlight of the festival is the traditional ZUŠ Open national showcase in the Senate at the Wallenstein Garden, where 1,000 performers represent all regions of the Czech Republic. In 2024, the festival presented performances in 350 cities with 530 artistic productions featuring 150,000 performers, including students, teachers, and professional artists. In 2022, the ZUŠ Open festival closed the Czech presidency of the Council of the EU with two gala concerts in the European Parliament.

Festival productions also include the series ZUŠ Open Helps, which showcases selected art projects by art schools supporting those in need. This series is a platform for presenting the “Without Prejudices, Without Barriers” project of the Magdalena Kožená Foundation, contributing to the education of children in social responsibility through art.

www.zusopen.cz

Why support the ZUŠ Open national festival of the Magdalena Kožená Foundation?

• ZUŠ Open is unique in its scale and the quality of its programming, being the largest cultural event and the only art education festival of this scope in the Czech Republic.
• ZUŠ Open not only presents the breadth and quality of the activities of basic art schools, but also all other projects of the Magdalena Kožená Foundation.
• ZUŠ Open showcases the value of art education and creativity, which has a broad impact on the public.
• ZUŠ Open creates a space for meetings and collaboration between students, teachers, parents, artists, institutions, and all those interested in art and nurturing the youngest generation in a professional and respected festival environment.

Benefit Concert of Magdalena Kožená and Basic Art Schools 

In 2016, the first Gala for the Magdalena Kožená Foundation took place to gain the first supporters and financial resources for the newly established foundation. Through this gala, the founder and patron made clear her personal commitment to supporting art schools. This marked the beginning of the tradition of regular benefit concerts, featuring the personal participation of the singer. Over the years, students from art schools across the country have participated in these concerts, offering them the unique opportunity to experience the atmosphere of performing alongside the foundation’s founder.

We warmly invite you to the Benefit Concert of Magdalena Kožená and Basic Art Schools on May 14, 2025, which will open the ZUŠ Open national festival.

A look back at previous years:

• Gala for the Magdalena Kožená Foundation (2016)

• Gala for the Magdalena Kožená Foundation (2017)
• Benefit Concert of Magdalena Kožená (2021)
• Benefit Concert for the Future (2023)
• Benefit Concert of Magdalena Kožená and Basic Art Schools (2024)

ZUŠ Open - Concert of Hope

Without Prejudices, Without Barriers  

This project focuses on artistic and educational collaborations between art schools and partners from special education and non-profit organizations dedicated to charity, social work, and support.

We help by:

• Removing barriers preventing children and young people with various disadvantages from participating in artistic activities through joint projects
• Educating children and youth in social responsibility and sensitivity through art education
• Helping art schools organize benefit concerts and artistic productions in support of the needy
• Creating spaces for interactive art projects that revitalize collaboration between different communities and foster intergenerational understanding—cooperation between art schools and special schools, children's homes, or homes for seniors.
  
  

Since 2020, we have been organizing or supporting the following projects and collaborating with these organizations:

• festival series  ZUŠ Open pomáhá
• Sdružení Neratov
• Vysokomýtské souznění
• Škola Jaroslava Ježka
• Tmavomodrý festival
• Charita ČR
• Arcidiecézní charita Praha
• Dívčí katolická střední škola
• Koncert pro Svatovítské varhany
• Poradny pro ženy a dívky
• Silou hlasu
• ZŠ a MŠ Svítání
• and many more

Our Challenge

Sensitivity to the needs of others, supporting those in need through our skills, art education, and collaboration with them. Become our partner, help us fulfill this essential message, and spread the awareness that art has the power to help, break down barriers, and strengthen mutual understanding.

Knights of Talent  

Talent is a rare gift and an essential part of success in art education. The Knights of Talent project primarily focuses on areas where state resources and those of our partners fall short. Our partner for individual support of children and young people under 18 is the Patron of Children project, which has helped write many stories with happy endings.

Become a Knight of Talent and support:

• projects of the Magdalena Kožená Foundation aimed at supporting and developing exceptional talent within basic art schools
• individuals or art schools that cannot afford quality musical instruments or equipment without the support of private donors
• exceptionally talented students of art schools, providing them with opportunities beyond what their school can offer (mentoring, masterclasses, participation in international competitions, preparation for special performances or projects)
• teachers at art schools who, beyond their regular duties, systematically work with exceptionally talented students or those with special needs.

We Cultivate with Art

We support additional activities of art schools. We aim to help basic art schools expand their offerings of educational and artistic activities beyond the existing curriculum and the financial possibilities of public funding (MAP templates, school founder grants, etc.) or contributions from parents.

We help art schools with:

• organizing extraordinary artistic and educational projects
• holding meetings or creative competitions in various fields
• implementing extraordinary artistic or educational projects in support of those in need
• developing innovative approaches in education and improving its quality
• implementing projects that foster collaboration between local communities both regionally and nationwide
• linking art education with practice, impacting the broad development of students and teachers.

Give Art Schools a Chance

We support small art schools. Many small art schools, often located in socially disadvantaged areas, face numerous challenges that may hinder their development and ability to provide quality art education to talented youth in these regions. The “Give Art Schools a Chance” project is designed to strengthen these schools and provide them with the tools to overcome obstacles preventing them from reaching their full potential.

Together with our partners, we support:

• the full potential of small art schools and schools in disadvantaged locations
• the presence of teaching assistants where needed
• the availability of school psychologist services and professional counseling
• support for students with artistic talent whose lives are affected by a health handicap, social disadvantage, or special learning needs
• systematic development of a specific group of artistically gifted children and youth growing up in foster care or children’s homes.

We Stand by Art Schools 

Together with our professional partner Asociace základních uměleckých škol, we engage in strategic negotiations and activities to strengthen the promotion and protection of the existential and economic interests of basic art schools, the development of quality, and the awareness of the importance of art education in the Czech Republic.

Since 2016, we have been helping art schools with presentations and fostering collaborations:

• Art showcases and exhibitions in both the upper and lower chambers of Parliament, under the personal patronage of members of the Czech Parliament and Senate
• Presentations of art schools during the award ceremonies of the Minister of Education's medals
• Presentations at the Senate of the Czech Parliament during the Senate Awards ceremonies
• Presentations of the art school system and participation in conferences of the Education Committees of the Czech Parliament and Senate
• Presentations at festivals and events organized by regional and city leaders
• Showcase of the unique system of art schools and concerts at the European Parliament during the conclusion of the Czech residency of the Council of the EU
• Major art showcase in the Wallenstein Garden – ZUŠ Open at the Senate of the Czech Parliament
• Media presentations in programs and news reports on Czech Television, TV Nova, Czech Radio, Deník, and other media
• Art presentations in concerts for St. Vitus Cathedral organs (live broadcast on Czech Television)
• Advent Concerts on Czech Television
• Concerts and showcases in cooperation with the Administration of Prague Castle
• Art school presentations in collaboration with leading Czech festivals and cultural institutions
• Presentations of talented students of art schools as part of Prague Spring International Music Festival, Smetana’s Litomyšl, Concentus Moraviae, Czech Dreams, and other events.

We actively collaborate with:

• Asociace základních uměleckých škol ČR
• Umělecká rada základních uměleckých škol ČR
• Ministerstvo školství, mládeže a tělovýchovy
• Národní pedagogický institut
• Ministerstvo kultury ČR
• Asociace krajů ČR
• Svaz měst a obcí ČR
• Poslanecká sněmovna ČR
• Senát Parlamentu ČR
• Výbor pro vzdělávání Magistrátu hlavního města Prahy
• Celostátní komise pro výchovu a vzdělávání vládní strany
• Pedagogická fakulta Univerzity Karlovy
• Pedagogická fakulta Univerzity Palackého Olomouc
• Asociace konzervatoří ČR
• Akademie múzických umění v Praze
• Janáčkova Akademie múzických umění v Brně
• Společnost pro hudební výchovu
• INSEA
• Arcibiskupství pražské
• Česká televize
• Český rozhlas
• Česká filharmonie
• Concentus Moraviae
• MHF Pražské jaro
• Smetanova Litomyšl
• Karlovarský symfonický orchestr
• Západočeský orchestr Mariánské lázně
• Filharmonie Bohuslava Martinů ve Zlíně
• Janáčkova filharmonie v Ostravě
• Zlín Film Festival
• Správa Pražského Hradu
• and many more

Clarinet Factory ve spolupráci a za finanční podpory Nadačního fondu Magdaleny Kožené pro žáky a pedagogy pražských ZUŠ a Středočeského kraje v rámci projektu Rytíři talentů NFMK nabízí workshopy a semináře. Ve dnech 8.-11. května 2025 se v ZUŠ Ilji Hurníka uskuteční společné zkoušení s dětmi a nácvik koncertního repertoáru na případné koncerty v květnu. Přihlášky spolu s CV je možné podávat do 14.2.2025 na email: reditelka@nfkozena.cz a zuzana.minarikova@nfkozena.cz. Bližší informace najdete v příloze. 

The Magdalena Kožená Foundation would like to wish you a Merry Christmas, a well-deserved extended holiday, and a successful start to the New Year 2025.

We are pleased to announce that the Magdalena Kožená Endowment Fund (NFMK) will distribute an additional CZK 70,000 from the public collection for flood relief to support elementary art schools affected by the devastating floods.

This brings the total amount allocated for this cause to CZK 370,000 this year. The public collection will remain open for this purpose until December 15, 2024. After this date, the funds will be redirected to new projects and initiatives in support of schools and other activities of the endowment fund.

We are honored that, as part of the collaboration with Prague Sounds, two talented students from ZUŠ Jižní Město and ZUŠ Králíky had the opportunity to perform at the concert on December 4, 2024, at Žofín Palace in Prague. This was an invaluable experience and opportunity for them.

Photography: Petr Šola

This year, the Magdalena Kožená Endowment Fund (NFMK) has once again prepared a series of Advent concerts to mark the end of the year, and we warmly invite you to join us:

• December 10: Students and teachers from elementary art schools in South Bohemia and Prague will perform at the Church of St. Francis Xavier in Opařany, bringing joy and hope to the clients and staff of the Opařany Children’s Psychiatric Hospital.
• December 12: A benefit concert titled “Knights of Talent for the Patron of Children” will take place at the Church of the Most Sacred Heart of Our Lord in Prague. The program will feature more than 50 students specializing in double reed instruments, performing alongside members of the Czech Philharmonic. Proceeds from voluntary donations will go to support the Patron of Children charity project. For more information, visit www.patrondeti.cz.
• December 14: In collaboration with the Neratov Association, we cordially invite you to the traditional Advent concert in Neratov. The concert, featuring students and teachers from elementary art schools in the Hradec Králové Region and Prague, will be held in the Pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.