Apr 23, 2020

Prague Turns its Citizens Into Concert Promoters

Prague Morning

The city residents are in lockdown and musicians are out of jobs. Music clubs and concert halls will likely stay closed in the coming months.

The music industry joined forces with the Prague City Hall and together they connected players with their audience.

Every Prague citizen can now book a concert online, put a pin on the map – a hospital courtyard, nursing home garden or on any street – and start crowdfunding for tickets. When enough people chip in, the concert takes place.

All musicians follow guidelines crafted and scrutinized by the authorities and professional promoters. Social distancing, face masks, and all other means of keeping the virus out of play are in action here.

“We are happy to help both the creative industries and people who are staying at home. People can watch online streams for only so long. This is live culture, creativity, and innovation at its best,” said Hana Třeštíková, Prague Council Member responsible for Arts and Culture.

The procedure is simple – people register at hrajemedooken.cz [playing into windows] and then identify the preferred music genre and location. The organizer then checks the availability of artists and the suitability of the chosen venue.

In the next ten days, people buy online tickets for the concert. “It is uncommon for safety and culture departments to work together on innovative projects like this one. I hope we can inspire other cities in Europe – this is how we can stay safe and enjoy live music at the same time,” said Petr Hlubuček, Vice-Mayor at Prague City Hall responsible for Safety and Environment.

Every musician gets paid from the tickets the “civic promoter” crowdfunds online.

The tickets can be bought at both GoOut.cz and Donio.cz platforms; the initiative is also joined by Rohlík.cz, which enables grocery shoppers to support concerts.