Independent Culture and Media’s Collective Action in Czechia

Klabosirna Masky at ssesi space — © Tereza Oprchalová

At the end of 2025, Czechia’s parliamentary elections saw Andrej Babiš returned as Prime Minister with his right-wing nationalist party ANO. While the country was already governed by a right-wing liberal conservative coalition, the new government coalition has welcomed the far right with the Svoboda a přímá demokracie (Freedom and Direct Democracy – SPD) and the Motoristé sobě (Motorists for Themselves – AUTO). This new political coalition enters the circle of nationalist-led European countries. This circle has already proven across the continent the damage it can cause when it comes to socio-cultural policy. Although Babiš’s coalition has been ruling for less than a year, it has already been shifting things around in the cultural and media spheres.

Multifront Crisis and Political Pressures

In July 2026, the new Culture Minister Oto Klempíř (AUTO) proposed replacing the State Cultural Policy 2026-2030+, which was developed and agreed upon in the end of 2025 through thorough consultation between the previous minister and cultural professionals. Approved on October 5th, Klempíř’s new strategy changes the priorities on heritage and culture’s economic potential, while giving less attention to accessibility, participation, democracy, and social aspects of culture. Katarína Kalivodová, member of the board of Kulturní a kreativní federace (Czech Cultural and Creative Federation – KKF) and director of the Institute of Creative Education calls this “a significant setback, particularly in how the state understands the role of culture in society.”

This turnaround brings uncertainty to the sector, which itself extends to funding, with delayed grant calls potentially postponing decisions on some 2027 grants until summer. For organisations operating on tight budgets, this complicates long-term planning. Mižu from Brno-based ssesi.space warns that last minute changes to established rules introduce “structural instability and distrust.”

The pressure intensified on October 21st, when Klempíř announced plans to cut the audiovisual budget by one billion crowns and overhaul the Czech Audiovisual Fund, including replacing its board and all 20 members of its expert councils. Established less than a year ago by merging the former Czech Cinematography Fund with support for related creative industries, including television and gaming, the fund was designed as a shared framework for the wider audiovisual sector. Industry organisations warned on October 23rd that the proposed cuts and legislative changes risk destabilising the system, threatening film incentives, jobs, and studios.

But this change in policy and budget cuts aren't the only pressure. Michal Brenner co-founder and deputy manager of the Česká asociace hudebních klubů (Czech Music Venue Association – CAHK) as well as coordinator of the SHAPE+ platform describes a “multi-crisis” involving “gentrification, economic struggles, core audience transition,” and political conflict. He continues explaining that “the immediate challenge is surviving the next year,” insisting on the need to “help individual players form their long-term strategies.”

Market concentration presents another challenge for the music sector. Live Nation acquired a 51% stake in three major Prague venues this summer: O2 Arena, O2 Universum, and Forum Karlín. Brenner warns that corporate groups “don’t care much for the consequences for the local scene and their future ‘market’,” and points to Prague’s Metronome Festival, which partnered with Live Nation last year before recently announcing its closure.

However, as Tereza Patočková, project manager at research and advocacy for nightlife organisation VibeLab and city manager for Prague at Resident Advisor, stresses, “the independent cultural sector operates in a different environment.” Although these political and commercial developments are distinct, both expose independent organisations’ limited resources and control. The question is whether the conditions necessary for an independent cultural scene are steadily eroding.

Adding up to this multifront crisis in the cultural sphere, proposed changes to public-service broadcasting funding have raised concerns about media and editorial independence in the country. Recently, the government announced their will to “abolish public license fees and financing both Czech Television and Czech Radio directly, thus gaining more control over their contents,” explains Michal Brenner. The proposal moved from announcement to parliamentary action overnight between October 23rd and 24th. At 4:36 a.m. on Saturday, the Chamber of Deputies advanced the bill to the next stage of the legislative process, passing the first reading. While the editorial independence of Czech public media is being erased, the cases of independent journalists and media outlets being pressured or harassed increases.

The parallel between culture and media is here obvious. Both sectors face similar challenges, with the general situation showing the “underlying issue, e.g. whether independent actors can operate freely, express critical views and contribute to public debate without facing political pressure or exclusion,” says Tereza Patočková.

KKF's Manuál pro kulturu conference, September 16th, 2025, Prague  — © Adela Vosičková

Artist workshop at MeetFactory, Prague — © Libor Galia