From Harlem Bars to Dvořák: Tereza Porybná on Czech Culture in New York

What does it mean to represent Czech culture in one of the most diverse and dynamic cities in the world? Tereza Porybná brings Czech culture to life in New York — through bold programming, unexpected encounters, and a deep belief in creative dialogue.

For Tereza Porybná, the recently appointed director of the Czech Center in New York, it’s not just about showcasing art — it’s about creating the conditions for meaningful exchange.

“I somehow found that the natural talent I have is to create space for these people and to bring them together and to be creative, but in my own way, not necessarily through a specific art form,” she explains in the latest episode of Czechast.

Porybná is no stranger to the international stage. Before arriving in New York, she spent years leading the Czech Center in London. But her story stretches far beyond Western capitals. She’s studied and worked across Europe and also in Ethiopia, where she led education and development projects with the Czech NGO Člověk v tísni (People in Need) in Addis Ababa. With a background in visual anthropology, her work has always blended art, activism, and community-building.

That global perspective is central to how she sees her role in New York — a city that, for all its pace and pressure, still finds space for cultural surprises. “I was sitting in a bar in Harlem a couple of weeks ago and someone started talking to me. I said what I do and it was a young guy and he said, oh, I love Dvořák! And this sort of hip hop looking type showed me his Spotify that was full of these Vodak compositions that he listens to when he goes to work.”

It’s a perfect example of what Porybná calls “unexpected resonance” — moments where Czech culture reveals its deeper presence in American life.

But she’s not only looking backward. Her plans for the Czech Center are ambitious and forward-facing: interdisciplinary exhibitions, socially engaged art, collaborations with institutions like the New Museum, and a focus on themes like climate change, mental health, and human rights.

“I think what we can offer is continuity in our programming, in the fact that we are a safe democratic space that is open to dialogue, that is open to cultural exchange,” she says. “And we open it up to topics that maybe the US institutions might not be able to do due to all these funding cuts that are happening. I will be satisfied with my mission here.”

In a time when public discourse can feel fractured and cultural institutions face increasing constraints, Porybná’s approach offers something rare: space — for reflection, conversation, and creativity.

Listen to the full interview on Czechast, where we talk about her path from anthropology to diplomacy, the role of Czech culture abroad, and why creating space might just be the most powerful form of art.