Culture as a Shared Language

Culture goes beyond artistic experiences. It is also a space for meaningful dialogue and for creating connections between people who might otherwise never have crossed paths. That was precisely the focus of the international conference Culture as a Shared Language, which we organised on 11 June 2026 in cooperation with the Jiří Mahen Library in Brno. Together, we explored how cultural institutions can respond to a changing society and create an environment in which everyone has the opportunity to participate, regardless of their language, background or life experience

Today’s cities are becoming increasingly diverse. They are home to people from different countries, with different languages, cultures and life experiences. This diversity brings new opportunities, but it also raises important questions: How can cultural opportunities be made more accessible to wider audiences? How can we ensure that new residents feel not merely like visitors, but like a natural part of the local community? And how can culture become a space where people truly understand one another?

The conference showed that the answers often lie not only in major projects, but above all in long-term, everyday work – building relationships, trust and opportunities for people to come together. Cultural institutions, in particular, can play an important role in ensuring that a city becomes not merely a place where people live alongside one another, but a space where they truly communicate and share common experiences.

Guests were welcomed by Gabriela Obstová on behalf of the Jiří Mahen Library, whose involvement in the conference was supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic under the Library of the 21st Century programme. On behalf of the City of Brno, participants were welcomed by Veronika Majíčková, who also presented a new version of the Where to Go for Culture map application, which serves as a database of Brno’s cultural organisations as well as venues suitable for cultural and creative activities. Her presentation also included an online survey focusing on the cultural needs of and barriers faced by minorities and foreign-language-speaking residents of Brno. Its aim is to provide a better understanding of the current situation and help both the city and cultural organisations identify ways of making the cultural landscape more open and accessible. You can take part in the survey HERE.

Daniel Robertson Styles then introduced the conference theme by offering a personal perspective on how his relationship with the city and its cultural scene has evolved. He spoke about arriving in Brno as a member of the ballet company of the National Theatre Brno, gradually becoming an active participant in the city’s cultural life, and eventually one of the people helping to shape it. Drawing on his own experience, he described his journey from first discovering Brno’s cultural scene to becoming involved with the Vitamin cultural centre and co-founding Infame Radio, which connects the local creative scene with international networks.

International perspectives: identity and openness

Daniel Robertson Styles was followed by international speakers with experience from abroad, offering different perspectives on how culture can help foster a more open and cohesive society.

The first speaker was Jurga Knyvienė from Kaunas, Lithuania, who presented the long-running inclusive programme Serpentine Laboratory. It brings together people with different disabilities and creates space for their active involvement in artistic creation. Here, theatre is not merely the outcome of creative work, but above all a tool that enables people to become part of a cultural environment that had previously been inaccessible to them.

Imanol Galdos from San Sebastián then continued the discussion on the importance of culture in building social cohesion, presenting the Basque experience of culture as a tool for strengthening both identity and openness in society. In his presentation, he reflected on the specific historical and geographical situation of the Basque Country, which spans the territory of two states, as well as on experiences of the suppression of minority culture and terrorism. Yet this very example shows that nurturing one’s own cultural identity need not lead to insularity – on the contrary, it can provide the foundation for a society that respects diversity while also remaining open to new influences.

A similar theme was also addressed in the presentation by István Puskás from Debrecen. In recent years, the city has been addressing how to involve its growing community of international students and residents in everyday city life. According to him, cooperation between local government, cultural institutions and community stakeholders plays an important role in this process. As one example of good practice, he also mentioned the hackathon format, which helps connect young people and students, who form international teams in search of new ideas and solutions for the development of the city.

Cultural infrastructure and its readiness

The afternoon panel discussion focused on the readiness of cultural infrastructure and on how institutions can respond to the needs of increasingly diverse groups of residents.

Examples from Brno showed that an open cultural environment is often shaped not through systemic measures, but by the long-term commitment and initiative of dedicated individuals. Drawing on the experience of Iryna Zabiiaka from the Ukrainian Centre in Brno, the discussion showed how museums and other cultural institutions can play a significant role in integrating newly arrived residents – for example through interpreted programmes, collaborative content creation and educational activities for both children and adults. Alongside reflections on the experience of the Ukrainian community, Miroslav Zima from DROM offered the perspective of working with the Roma community.

Theatre was also mentioned as a place where language barriers can be overcome naturally. Aaron Collier showed how Czech Theater in Brno makes Czech theatre accessible to people who do not speak Czech, while at the same time offering Czech audiences a fresh perspective on their own cultural environment. The company, which brings together people from many different countries, demonstrates that collaborative artistic practice can be a powerful means of fostering mutual understanding.

Institutions that create opportunities for informal encounters also play an important role in building relationships between people. The Jiří Mahen Library presented its concept of an “infrastructure for encounters” – a place where people can meet naturally, share experiences and build relationships across linguistic and cultural boundaries. In this context, Lenka Šafránková Pavlíčková also reflected on the role of women in Brno’s expatriate communities, who often serve as key links in the integration process.

Brno Expat Centre also plays an indispensable role in supporting Brno’s foreign-language-speaking residents, as Kateřina Báňová demonstrated in her presentation.

The panel discussion that followed, moderated by Iva Poulíčková of Brno Expat Centre, explored a range of issues connected with the everyday realities of intercultural coexistence. Participants noted, for example, that shared cultural experiences – such as food, dance and music – can be a powerful way of bringing people together, but that when approached superficially they can also reinforce simplistic stereotypes and reduce cultures to an "exotic experience".

The discussion also underscored the importance of building trust over time and becoming more sensitive to different cultural norms. Participants observed that behaviour regarded as natural or polite in one culture may be interpreted quite differently in another – one practical example being direct eye contact, which may be perceived as impolite in some African and East Asian cultures. The panel thus served as a reminder that understanding is not built on universal rules, but on a willingness to recognise different contexts and learn to navigate them.

Community cooperation: culture as everyday relationship-building

The final part of the conference focused on community projects showing that culture can also emerge and thrive outside the traditional institutions dedicated to it. The Kamarádi project run by the Zaedno association highlighted the importance of multilingual education and of working with children growing up in diverse environments.

Yolda Collective then presented the potential of socially engaged art and theatre, using movement and collaborative creation to enable communication where words alone are not enough. Artistic collaboration itself can play a key role in overcoming language and cultural barriers. The project was presented jointly by Orkun Türkmen and Šimon Peták. This format underlined the relationships on which the work of Yolda Collective is based and from which it grows.

The conference closed with a final presentation by Daniel Robertson Styles, who took a closer look at the work of Infame Radio and the Vitamin cultural centre. In addition to Czech-based activities focused on Brno and its community, Styles also mentioned examples of international cooperation. The final contribution to the conference thus marked a symbolic return to the wider context – not only of Brno, but of Europe as a whole.

The conference offered one central message: culture is not only the result of creative activity, but also a way of living together in the city. An open cultural environment does not come about automatically – it is shaped by institutions, organisations and individuals who create spaces for encounter and exchange.

Like many other European cities, Brno is home to a diverse community and faces many of the same challenges. The sharing of experience and the search for new approaches show that culture can be a true common language – one that needs no translation in order to connect people.