As February begins, we mark a time of transition with both farewells and new beginnings. After seven years, we say goodbye to our Director Přemysl Pela and thank him for his contribution to the Czech Centre. We are delighted to welcome our new Director, Tereza Šídlová, to London and wish her every success as she brings fresh vision to the Centre. We also bid farewell to our dear colleague Marek Bero and warmly welcome Rebeka Jurčacková to the team.
And while people change, the programme continues. Our February newsletter has just arrived into your inbox. Enjoy!
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Pixels and Poetics: Sudek, Funke, and the Influence of New Technologies on the Development of Photography
Till 13 March 2026 / Vitrinka Gallery, Bouda Gallery & Public space outside of the Czech Embassy, London
Pixels and Poetics places interwar masters Josef Sudek and Jaromír Funke in dialogue with contemporary, algorithm-shaped works, tracing photography’s journey from analogue light to AI-generated images and questioning how technology reshapes perception, reality and visual belief in the digital age. Open Tue – Fri, 10am-5pm. More info
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Pixels and Poetics: Sudek, Funke, and the Influence of New Technologies on the Development of Photography, Vitrínka Gallery, Bouda Gallery, Czech Centre, exhibition view, photo: Jan Pavelka
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Photos, AI, and the Truth in Between
Thursday 12 February 2026, 7pm / Czech Centre at the Czech Embassy Cinema, London W8
How do Sudek and Funke’s light experiments resonate with generative technologies today? Martin Barnes (V&A), Sam Mercer (The Photographers‘ Gallery) and artist Barbora Trnková trace a journey from analogue poetry to digital imagination, as writer and critic Diane Smyth leads a debate on what photography can—and can’t—reveal about reality. More info
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Images: Barbora Trnková, Your Addiction is the Message, 2022–2024, synthetic photography / Josef Sudek, Abandoned (From the series Memories), 1956,17 × 23 cm, from the PPF Art Collection
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Janáček Philharmonic Ostrava at Cadogan Hall
Wednesday 18 February 2026, 7.30pm / Cadogan Hall, London SW1X
As part of their UK tour, Janáček Philharmonic Ostrava performs at Cadogan Hall on 18 February, bringing its Bohemian sound to London. Conducted by Daniel Raiskin with violinist Jennifer Pike, the programme features Janáček, Bruch and Shostakovich in one evening. More info
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Mr Nobody Against Putin
+ Zoom Q&A with director David Borenstein (tbc)
Tuesday 24 February 2026, 7pm / Czech Centre at the Czech Embassy Cinema, London W8
Sundance-premiered, Oscar-finalist documentary Mr Nobody Against Putin screens on the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. A Danish-Czech collaboration, it tells the remarkable true story of a Russian schoolteacher who exposed Putin’s propaganda from inside the classroom. More info
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Klára Hosnedlová: Echo
11 February – 29 March 2026 / White Cube Bermondsey, London SE1
In February 2026, White Cube Bermondsey presents Klára Hosnedlová’s debut solo exhibition. Featuring immersive, site-specific installations, the show brings together sculpture, architecture and textiles to explore how past ideas of the future continue to shape our world. More info
Image: Klára Hosnedlová, Untitled (from the series GROWTH), 2023, Cotton thread, casted glass, stainless steel, stone and mineral dust, synthetic resin, Styrofoam and metal construction
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Adéla Součková at The Children Are Now
Till 7 February 2026 / Rice Talbot Gallery, Edinburgh EH8
Czech artist Adéla Součková brings her distinctive voice to The Children Are Now, a major group exhibition exploring how children imagine, resist and reshape the world. Her work adds a powerful perspective to this international dialogue on childhood, rights and resilience. More info
Image: Adéla Součková, 'hopscotch', 2025, 'The Children are Now', exhibition view, Talbot Rice Gallery, the University of Edinburgh. Photo: Sally Jubb
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Michaela Šindlerová @ Positions in Contemporary Art: Europe Across Borders
Till 23 February 2026 / Europe House, London SW1P
Czech artist Michaela Šindlerová is featured in Positions in Contemporary Art: Europe Across Borders, an exhibition showcasing ten emerging artists who explore movement, collectivity, isolation, and the evolving landscape of European culture, borders and cross-cultural exchange. More info
Photo: Michaela Šindlerová and her work You Wouldn't Wake Up If You Wouldn't Fall Asleep II, mixed media on canvas, 170 x 145 cm, 2025, photo: Fiona Hanson
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Susanna Roth Translators Award 2026 – Call for Entries
Closing date for translations: 31 March 2026 / Results announcement: 31 May 2026
Winners' visit to the Czech Republic: July 2026
The Czech Centres and the Czech Literary Centre, a section of the Moravian Library, announce the 12th year of the International Competition for Young Translators – The Susanna Roth Award. The task is to translate an extract from Všechno bude super by Eli Beneš (Argo, 2025). More info
Image: Eli Beneš, photo: Václav Mašinda
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The Best of 2025: Video Highlights
Our programme was packed with one hundred events last year celebrating Czech culture and attracting an audience of almost 100 000 people. Watch this short video highlighting the best moments. Filmed and edited by Marek Bero.
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London Philharmonic Orchestra Presents Central European Masterpieces
Royal Festival Hall, London SE1
Bohemian Rhapsodies / Wednesday 4 February 2026, 7.30pm
The Wooden Prince / Saturady 7 February 2026, 7.30pm
Celebrate 20th-century Central European music with the LPO’s Phoenix Lands concerts at Royal Festival Hall. Featuring Czech composers Janáček, Martinů, Kaprálová, and violinist Josef Špaček, these performances dazzle under Edward Gardner. Book now with promo code LANDS10 for £10 tickets. More info
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Vladimira Krckova: A Return to The Source
Wednesday 4 February 2026 / World Heart Beat Embassy Gardens, London SW11
An effortless, multi-genre vocalist, Vladimira Krckova is returning to the stage in a rare collaboration with the exceptional pianist Robert Mitchell. The concert reflects her wide-ranging artistic practice and long-standing engagement with music, theatre, and personal exploration. More info
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Pražák Quartet – Lunchtime Recital
Monday 23 February 2026, 1.10pm / Blackheath Halls, London SE3
Enjoy an evening of Czech chamber music with the Pražák Quartet, performing Smetana’s deeply expressive String Quartet No. 2 and Dvořák’s radiant Quartet in A-flat major, Op. 105. Two landmark works combining emotional depth, lyricism and rich Czech musical tradition. More info
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Franz + Q&A with director Agnieszka Holland and actor Josef Trojan
Tuesday 3 March 2026, 5.30pm / BFI IMAX, London SE1
Agnieszka Holland’s striking portrait of Franz Kafka traces the writer’s inner conflicts and creative drive. Poland’s Oscar submission, the film explores how lived experience shaped Kafka’s unsettling literary vision, with Josef Trojan vividly bringing Kafka’s alter ego to life. More info
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World Between Us
Thursday 12 March 2026, 7pm / Czech Centre at the Czech Embassy Cinema, London W8
World Between Us follows photographer Marie Tomanová’s journey from a Czech small town to New York, exploring ambition, identity and belonging. Directed by Marie Dvořáková, this documentary accompanies the Pixels and Poetics exhibition, reflecting photography’s power to connect across worlds. More info
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