Concert at National Theatre starts protest against way arts in Prague are funded

Artists gathered at Prague’s National Theatre on Sunday to stage a seven-hour concert in protest against the way the arts are funded in the Czech capital. The concert kicks off a series of cultural events called ‘Dny neklidu’ (‘Days of Unrest’), which will include dance, theatre, music and visual art. Organisers of the ‘Days of Unrest’ are unhappy with the way that Prague Town Hall administers its budget for culture, in particular its new system of grants for theatres. Over 20,000 people have signed a petition urging the council to change the current funding system. The councilor responsible for the funding of the arts, Milan Richter, has said that he will look into changing the current system.