AGP Executive Report

Design & Shopping: Prague’s MINT Market returns to Holešovice on Nov. 28–29, bringing more than 100 Czech makers and independent brands together for a Christmas showcase. Film: Animated comedy Jim Queen has landed Czech and Slovak distribution deals after its Busan screening; meanwhile, Brno’s BRNO16 film festival is putting director Jan Švankmajer in the spotlight. Literature: Czechia’s guest-of-honour appearance at the Frankfurt Book Fair wrapped Oct. 11, featuring 75 writers, more than 40 publishers and interactive digital installations. Prague Events: Signal Festival brings light art and projections to the city from Oct. 15–18, including a tribute to Václav Havel. Music: Nickelback are set to return to Prague in 2027, while composer Mick Gordon has announced a Brutal Assault performance in the Czech Republic. Visual Arts: Czech artist and teacher Vladimír Kopecký, known for his experimental work, has died aged 94.

Prague Design & Light: Designblok’s citywide festival, themed around light, wrapped up on Oct. 11. Signal Festival follows Oct. 15–18, with installations including a Václav Havel tribute on the Old Town Hall tower. Czech Arts: Artist and teacher Vladimír Kopecký has died at 94. Film Festivals: Brno16’s 67th edition puts Jan Švankmajer in the spotlight, while Ji.hlava marks its 30th anniversary with documentaries that changed the world. Music & Live Shows: Nickelback will return to Prague in 2027, and the Janáček Brno International Opera and Music Festival has announced a star-studded 2026 lineup.

Prague Light Festival: Signal Festival returns Oct. 15–18, bringing 17 light-art installations to the city centre and Dejvice; officials advise visitors to use the metro. Live Music: Nickelback will play Prague’s O2 Arena in June 2027 on a world tour supporting an album due Oct. 30. Short Films: Brno’s BRNO16 festival runs Oct. 14–18, with international and Czech-Slovak competitions and a Jan Švankmajer programme themed around food. Opera and Music: Janáček Brno’s 10th-anniversary festival begins Oct. 13, with productions including Destiny and The Excursions of Mr Brouček. Czech Arts: Painter and teacher Vladimír Kopecký has died at 94. Ji.hlava’s 30th-anniversary programme will spotlight documentaries that changed the world.

Prague Exhibition: “Unissued Diplomas,” featuring stories of Ukrainian students killed in the war, was presented at the Forum 2000 conference. It has now been shown in Prague for the fifth time. Velká Pardubická: Irish-trained Final Orders won Czechia’s famous steeplechase after a close finish, giving trainer Gavin Cromwell back-to-back victories. Documentary Film: Ji.hlava’s 30th-anniversary programme will spotlight documentaries that changed the world. Public Art: Prague’s glowing Beacon installation has been extended through October, while Prague 7 has turned its streets into an outdoor gallery with designs by local children. Music: David Koller has released his sixth solo album, “We Won’t Be Afraid.” Eurovision: Czechia has withdrawn from the 2027 contest in Bulgaria.

Czech Cinema: Šimon Holý’s Chica Checa, about a widow and her drag-performing son, is winning attention at the Newport Beach Film Festival. Prague Art: The glowing Beacon installation will remain on view through October. Games: Czech studio Amanita Design has announced Machinarium 2, a sequel to its acclaimed 2009 puzzle game. Documentaries: Ji.hlava’s 30th-anniversary festival program will spotlight films that changed the world. Music: Czech rocker David Koller has released his sixth solo album, We Won’t Be Afraid. Eurovision: Czechia has withdrawn from the 2027 contest in Burgas.

Dance: Canadian tap instructor Heather Dennis is heading to Prague later this month to compete at the International Dance Organization’s World Tap Dance Championship. Czech Games: Amanita Design is making Machinarium 2, a sequel to its beloved 2009 puzzle game; it’s planned for Windows and macOS, with no release date announced. Film: Ji.hlava’s 30th-anniversary documentary festival will spotlight films that changed the world. Public Art: Prague’s glowing Beacon installation will remain on Jan Palach Square through the end of October. Eurovision: Czechia has withdrawn from the 2027 contest in Burgas.

Live Music: Luxembourg Eurovision alum TALI will bring her first international tour to Prague, alongside dates in Cologne, Vienna and Warsaw. Documentary Film: Ji.hlava’s 30th-anniversary programme puts documentaries that changed the world in the spotlight. Czech Eurovision: Czechia is withdrawing from the 2027 contest amid budget cuts, ending its next planned appearance on the Eurovision stage. Cultural Heritage: A new online exhibition explores Václav Havel’s role as host to world leaders.

Documentary Spotlight: Ji.hlava’s 30th festival, running October 23–November 1, will feature 13 films in a “Films That Changed the World” programme, a Trinh T. Minh-ha retrospective and a showcase marking FAMU’s 80th anniversary. Live Music: Nickelback’s 2027 world tour includes Prague on its European leg, with Don Broco joining as support; tickets go on sale October 16. Roger Waters is also set to bring his “LEGACY” show to Prague in June 2027, while Let It Roll Winter has booked Noisia for January. Eurovision Exit: Czechia has withdrawn from Eurovision 2027, with reports citing budget cuts. Havel Archive: A new online exhibition brings together photographs, letters and records from Václav Havel’s meetings with world leaders, including the Dalai Lama and Pope John Paul II. City Art: Prague 7 is turning streets into an outdoor gallery with designs by local children. TV Picks: Česká televize has acquired Arte documentaries profiling actors Frances McDormand, Jessica Chastain and Julianne Moore.

Gaming: Czech studio Amanita Design has announced Machinarium 2, 17 years after the original. Players will switch between robots Josef and Berta to solve puzzles; a release date has not been set. Live Music: Tony Iommi’s new solo album gets a Prague pre-release listening party at Hells Bells Pub on October 22, a day before the album arrives. Television: Česká televize has acquired three ARTE documentaries profiling Frances McDormand, Jessica Chastain and Julianne Moore. Eurovision: Czechia has withdrawn from the 2027 contest in Burgas. Theatre: A new look at Prague’s Laterna Magika explores how its pioneering blend of live performance and film projection reshaped the stage.

Eurovision: Czechia has withdrawn from the 2027 contest in Burgas, a notable setback for the country’s place on Europe’s pop stage. Prague Art: Prague 7 is turning its streets into an outdoor gallery with designs by local children. Design Week: Designblok 2026 is taking over six Prague venues this week, bringing the city’s design scene into focus. Film: The Prague Indian Film Festival returns for its 23rd edition. Czech Music: Midnight Swimmers have released an album exploring greed, illusions and uncertainty; meanwhile, Greta Van Fleet are set to play in Czechia for the first time in 2027.

Public Art: Prague 7 is turning its streets into an outdoor gallery with designs by local children. Eurovision: Czechia will skip the 2027 contest in Burgas, citing budget cuts. Festivals: Designblok 2026 is taking over six Prague venues, while the Bollywood and Beyond Prague Indian Film Festival returns for its 23rd edition and queer arts festival PINKBUS brings new performances and international guests. Stage & Music: Actors Lucie Žáčková and Stanislav Majer have won Thalia Awards. Prague also has major live shows ahead: Roger Waters is set for June 2027, and Greta Van Fleet will make their first Czech appearance next year.

Street Art: Prague 7 has brightened streets near local schools with colourful designs based on children’s drawings. Artist Jakub Karlík combined pupils’ artwork into large-scale paintings, though some residents have questioned the project’s cost and surface safety. Screen Stories: Czechia was among the countries with the most submissions to TV Beats’ European series market. Meanwhile, the Cannes-winning documentary Rehearsals for a Revolution, a Czech-Spanish-Iranian co-production, has joined the Lone Star Film Festival lineup. Eurovision: Czechia is withdrawing from the 2027 contest, with budget constraints cited as the reason. Live Music: Prague’s Let It Roll Winter has announced Noisia and Wilkinson among its headliners for January 22–23, 2027. Roger Waters is also set to bring his LEGACY show to Prague next June.

UEFA Nations League Spotlight: Harry Kane stole the show at Wembley, scoring twice as England beat Czechia 3-0 and marked his record-equalling 125th cap, with Vladimir Coufal’s own goal opening the scoring and Lewis Hall earning an assist. Arsenal Buzz: Ex-England defender Micah Richards called Arsenal youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly “unbelievable” and “too good” to sit on the bench, while reports also flagged a fitness doubt for £55m defender Ezri Konsa ahead of Leeds. Newcastle Focus: Lewis Hall’s strong run for England continued, and Newcastle’s international break wrap highlighted him as a clear winner. Tennis Headline: Novak Djokovic won the China Open after Alex de Minaur retired injured in the final, extending his Beijing dominance. Czech Business/Property: Czech investor AKIPIA joined the ownership structure of Warsaw’s Roma Tower, backing a luxury branded-residences skyscraper. Arts & Culture: Prague’s Charles Bridge drew Depeche Mode fans for a classic photo moment, and the Woodstock Film Festival announced its shorts lineup featuring Bill Plympton’s new music video.

Football at Wembley: Harry Kane marked his record-equalling 125th England cap with a 3-0 Nations League win over Czechia, scoring twice (91st and 90th goals) as Vladimir Coufal’s own goal and a Morgan Rogers assist helped Thomas Tuchel’s side seal another strong night. Czech sports spotlight: Karolina Muchová advanced at the China Open by beating Naomi Osaka in a tight fourth-round match, setting up a quarterfinal vs fellow Czech Nikola Bartunkova. Tennis headlines: Novak Djokovic won the China Open after Alex de Minaur retired injured in the final, while Carlos Alcaraz defended his Japan Open title in Tokyo. Queer arts in Prague: PINKBUS returns to Prague Nov 3–14 with theatre, drag, music and premieres, including new works from Czech and international artists. Music industry: Reservoir Media signed singer-songwriter Orla Gartland to a publishing deal, tied to her Apple TV+ “Trying” season 5 soundtrack work. Eurovision update: Czechia reportedly pulled out of Eurovision amid budget squeeze.

Streaming & Smart TV: Titan OS-powered Philips and Sharp TVs across 22 European markets, including Czechia, now carry SkyShowtime for direct access to movies, series and kids brands. Music & Live Shows: Roger Waters brings “LEGACY – A Pink Floyd Show” to Prague’s O2 universum on June 8, 2027, spotlighting 1971–1979 classics with a new visual stage concept. Film & TV Industry: Tallinn’s TV Beats Co-Financing Market (Nov 16–17) selects Czechia’s Darius Jabloński (“Fortel”) among other international spy/thriller projects for a €50,000 Council of Europe series co-production award. Sports (Czechia in focus): England hosts Czechia at Wembley in Nations League A; Tuchel says Harry Kane is his “role model” as he nears Peter Shilton’s cap record, while Czechia arrive after losses to England and Spain. Arts & Education (Prague): Belinda Weller becomes head of primary school at the Deutsche Schule in Prague, highlighting the school’s bilingual, international “encounters” approach. Tech & Space: A Czech-led consortium launches the ESA Czech Space Resilience Nodes phase to plug satellite fire/flood intelligence into emergency workflows.

Prague Arts & Design: The Vltava Philharmonic has released first interior visuals, showing a glassy, river-inspired main foyer and three concert halls—though the project’s price tag has jumped from CZK 6.1bn (2021) to CZK 11.65bn (2024). Sports & Culture on TV: ITV is again disrupting Coronation Street and Emmerdale for the UEFA Nations League—both soaps go off air Tuesday, then return Wednesday and Thursday evenings. Film Release: Andrea Brillantes’ psychological thriller “Laya” lands in Czech cinemas on Nov. 25, with a new poster and a story built around underwater secrets and a suspected past. Local Sports Infrastructure: Prague plans a major expansion of Aquacentrum Šutka in Prague 8, including a new covered 50-metre pool, outdoor water facilities, wellness, a hotel, and an ice rink. Tech & Subscriptions: Apple One Family and Premier prices rise in Czechia (about €2 more per month), as Apple keeps pushing services revenue.