NOVÁ SÍŤ INFORMS (No. 20)

Barbora Jílková and Hedvika Drenčeni: Unfortunately, there is a lack of space!
The South Bohemian organization Kredance has been operating for eight years as a landmark for the motion and dance theatre in České Budějovice and its surroundings. Recently there has been a number of organizational changes that brought new impulses and new lines of activities. In addition to supporting new projects in the form of residences, Kredance organizes festivals Tanec Praha and Malá inventor as well as various workshops. Its activities dont limit to the Czech Republic. What it is like to run an organization without its own space operating at the intersection of production and producers units - this is the main issue we discussed with the outgoing production manager Barbora Jílková and incoming Hedvika Drenčeni.

Kredance's activity has been linked to the independent scene in České Budějovice since 2010. What Kredance has focused on in the recent years?

Bára: Kredance has been rather a virtual space during the last three years. We had a base in the Jihočeské divadlo. However, we had to realize our projects in a public space or in the theaters outside of Budějovice. I'm glad Kredance managed it without difficul-ties even though people could not connect it with a particular place. We have brought a lot of interesting projects to South Bohemia and we have established interesting cooperation with Berlin.

Hedvika: I've been working in Kredance for the past year and a half, and I've been fo-cusing a lot on marketing issues. We have new websites, our Facebook and Instagram are regularly updated with news and we are definitely be more heard of.

What is the situation in České Budějovice as far as the premises suitable for the launch of independent projects are concerned? Do you still have partners in the town or do you rather rely on public space?

Hedvika: Unfortunately, there are no spaces where we can perform regularly. Therefore, most our projects are linked with a public space in České Budějovice. Performances that need a well-equipped theater hall are usually presented in Malovice, at the Continuo Theater. The issue of suitable spaces for the independent scene is of great relevance, thus deserving an immediate solution.
Bára: I agree that there are no premises available in České Budějovice. We have been coming across this problem for a long time. This issue is also being dealt with by other organizations bringing culture to Budějovice. We often cooperate with Budějovický Majáles. Our partner is also the Jihočeské divadlo, where we always present part of the program of the festival Tanec Praha. And in the summer, where the theatre is empty, the residential stays may be realized there.


Your latest project PerformanCZe ExchangeD develops cooperation with the Ber-lin intimate space for the independent theatre ACUD Kunsthaus. How do view your cooperation and are you going to go on with it?

Bára: In my view, the cooperation went well. I feel good about it. In September, we concluded the first year and now we are at the stage of evaluation. It was a very enrich-ing experience for us and we are planning another annual. This time we will focus more on creative activity, that is mainly on the support of residences and launching of the projects arising from them. I think we could create a joint project in the future. However, it is rather a distant future.
Hedvika: We have arranged a residency of the Berlin independent stage performer Evgenia Chetverkovska. So indeed, there exists a natural continuity and the desire to continue.

You give space to new projects and collaborate with a number of artists. Do you release these projects even after their premiere?

Bára: A performance Kocour a Two Or Ten was realized in the Kredance produc-tion, inspired by the life of Jiří Orten. Nevertheless, it is quite difficult for us to re-prise it because we do not have a home scene. We totally rely on the interest from outside and not always we meet the required terms. In addition, a part of the creative team lives in Prague and part in České Budějovice. However, our productions are always reprised at least several times a year, even abroad. And we are very happy about it.
Hedvika: A performance of motion theatre Ptačí sněm will be released in our pro-duction in 2019, bringing delight to both children and adults. "Going on a tour" suits us. This year we set off with the performance Two Or Ten to Berlin and Lithuania, and we are going to perform Kocour in Žilina next spring.

You are currently working on the third annual of Malá inventura Festival. How does it differ from the previous ones? And what would you recommend to the viewers?
Hedvika: We recommend everything! (laughs) Anyway, we are glad that two of the four festival days will take place here in České Budějovice. In particular, October 11 will be full of interesting events. The whole program is set in the Episcopal Garden, where children can enjoy self-service theater, fairy tale Dlouhý, Široký a Krátkozraký while parents can enjoy design market and buy at local designers there.
Bára: This year we’ve succeeded in setting up really great program. I would like to mention the amazing performance Mine to whose creation we contributed by providing a creative residence last year. At the same time, I appreciate very much that all perfor-mances for adults deal with the events currently going on in the society - Mine focuses on the topic of society and its need to possess and to define itself territorially. The per-formance Noon will remind the year 1968. And Horizont 8, released in the end of the festival, deals with the local political situation in České Budějovice. I am convinced that the "new theater" in our country has complied with its definition.

What has pleased you recently?

Bára: Community of owners of Vosto5 Theater.
Hedvika: I am very pleased that despite many difficulties we are able to provide inde-pendent culture in Budějovice.

What, on the contrary, has disappointed you?
Hedvika: Those troubles ...
Bára: The Czech political situation, which however leads to the creation of many excellent cultural projects!

What do you wish?

Hedvika: Own space where we could implement our projects.
Bára: I wish that Kredance were successful. It has had a lot of success not only in our country, but also abroad. And this goes hand in hand with many positive experiences. Moreover, I wish it had a stable financial background, because the search for resources is difficult and tedious.