Czech Republic/ 8.3 Arts and cultural education  

8.3.1 Institutional overview

The body with primary responsible for art instruction and education is the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport of the CR (MŠMT). In conformity with new curricula included in the National Programme of the Advancement of Education in the Czech Republic (the so-called White Book; see chapter 8.3.3) and anchored in Act No. 561/2004 Coll., on Preschool, Basic, Secondary, Vocational and Other Education, a new system of curricula is being introduced for the education of students between the ages of 3 and 19. The curricula are elaborated at two levels: state and school. The state level is represented by the National Education Programme (NEP) and the Framework Education Programmes (FEP). While the NEP stipulates educational requirements that can be applied in primary education, the FEPs define the mandatory scope of education at different levels (preschool, basic, and secondary education). The school level of curricula is represented by the School Education Programmes (SEP), and these form the basis for the implementation of education at individual schools. Each school creates its own School Education Programme in conformity with the rules of the FEP.  The NEP, the FEP and the SEP are public documents for the teaching community and the general public.

There are three types of arts education systems in the CR: (a) universities, (b) arts academies, and (c) conservatories. Alongside these institutions there exists a traditional and established system of basic-level schools of the arts (BAS). The basic arts schools (a Czech phenomenon) form not just the most established system of public education in the arts, but also the most widespread employment for teachers of the arts and professionals with any kind of teaching education.

In the CR there are four public post-secondary arts schools: the Academy of the Performing Arts in Prague http://www.amu.cz, the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague http://www.avu.cz, the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague http://www.vsup.cz and Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Brno http://www.jamu.cz. At the universities there are separate arts faculties, such as the Faculty of Fine Arts of Ostrava University in Ostrava, the Institute of Art and Design of the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen, the Faculty of Fine Arts of the Brno University of Technology, the Faculty of Restoration of the University of Pardubice in Litomyšl, or the Faculty of Art and Design of J. E. PurkynÄ› University in Ústí nad Labem. 

In February 2011 the Ministry of Culture (MK) hosted the Meeting on Film Education. The Meeting followed up on the adoption of the Concept of Support and Development of Czech Cinematography and the Czech Film Industry in 2011-2016. Provision no. 5 in the Concept focuses on the "Education of Professionals, Support for Seminars and Workshops, and Advancing Media and Film Literacy among the Public". One of the Concept's objectives through this provision is to create an inter-ministerial concept for media and film literacy. The Meeting was informal in character and its results were directed at the formation of a joint committee of the MC, MŠMT and subjects in the field of film education.

In September 2011 an Inter-ministerial Discussion Forum on education in the arts and the role of cultural organisations was held jointly by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports and the Ministry of Culture. The Forum sparked a discussion across society about the role and support for arts education in the CR. In conclusion, the participants agreed a summary communiqué which supports essential dialogue between representatives of the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Education; see also chapter 3.3.

The proceedings from the forum are available at: http://www.umeleckevzdelavani.cz/data/DF_sbornik_prispevku_web.pdf

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