September at Kampus Hybernská was all about circularity, music, and visual arts, whether it was the Dokola festival, a concert by Klára Vytisková, or Prague Art Week, which featured Vladimír Houdek’s exhibition "Third Landscape" and open studios by a duo from Hong Kong. We kicked off our new season on October 1st, and our October program explores themes of home and slowing down. Tereza Hrabini will launch her album "Dceremonie," the "Slow Down the City" project seeks peace amidst the hustle and bustle, and the book "Czech Sea" explores the sea that Czechs never had through the lens of literature.
The circular economy is often discussed primarily at conferences. The Dokola festival brought it to life at the Campus. Clothes were swapped, models made from recycled materials were showcased on the runway, meals were cooked from leftovers, and people could fix things that had stopped working at home in our open workshop. In the Circular Workshop , there was also printing and drilling in September. At the Linocut Basics workshop with Oldřich Navrátil , participants carved their own matrices and printed them onto paper or fabric using a press. The next installment of the How to Manage Without a Handymanseries, which the workshop organizes in collaboration with the SheBuildsproject, was dedicated to drilling and anchoring. Participants learned about different types of drills and drill bits, how to choose the right wall plugs and fasteners, and practiced drilling into wood and masonry. The goal of the series is to empower people to handle common household repairs themselves.
In mid-September, Klára Vytiskováreturned to the Campus after a year. She won over the audience with the spontaneity and humor she brought to the entire evening. Alongside tracks from her album VEGA a new song was also performed Zahrada, for which Vytisková created a visual collage herself. At the end of the month, the focus shifted to visual arts, and HYB4 Gallery joined the Prague Art Weekfestival. During the festival, visitors could view the exhibition Third Landscape by Vladimír Houdek and attend a guided tourled by the artist himself. Studios were also opened by Hong Kong artist Jive Lau Ho-fai, founder of the Kowloneonstudio, who translates traditional Hong Kong neon signs into contemporary art, and painter Mari Liew Yu-Lin, whose paintings are inspired by dreams and travels.
We had been looking forward to the first day of October all summer. The event Back on Campus we welcomed both the new season and the academic year. The afternoon and evening belonged primarily to Charles University students, whether they were returning to the Campus after the holidays or discovering its spaces and activities for the first time. People from across all faculties met here, and the grounds were soon completely full. The program included a pub quiz and a live recording of the political podcast from the weekly magazine Respekt Governing, Do Not Disturb. In the open studios of HYB4 Art Studios visitors could view the works up close and ask the artists about their process. The evening was dedicated to concerts by the bands Treska jednoskvrnná, Pexeso, and Hobluj! and a set by DJ AVHD. Thank you to everyone who came; it was wonderful!
The October program kicks off on Monday, October 5th, with the opening of the exhibition Two Homes followed by a discussion. The exhibition is based on real human stories and explores the relationships between the Czech Republic and the Netherlands, as well as the experiences of people who have sought a new home or lived between two countries.
On the same day, the Campus will also host the launch of a project by choreographer Natálie Vacková and Dočasná Company, which explores how to slow down in the middle of a busy city. Slow Down the City is a movement workshop taking place at the Campus on October 5th, with the project moving to the streets on October 12th. The performance Spaces Between Us begins with a walk from the Náměstí Republiky tram stop and ends in the Campus Front Courtyard. Six performers demonstrate how intersections, stops, and transit hubs can become places for relaxation and sensory experience. Admission is free.
On Wednesday, October 7th, at the Circular Workshop you can build your own Bluetooth speaker. Throughout October, the workshop is also open outside of scheduled sessions. It is a space for repairs, creative projects, and upcycling old materials: those interested can book it individually online, borrow tools, and consult with experienced craftspeople.
The very next day, October 8th, the Campus will be filled with student films for three days. The international festival FOFR 2026 will showcase the work of young filmmakers from the Czech Republic and abroad.
The theme of home, which kicked off the month, will also take to the stage mid-month. Tereza Hrabini on October 15th will celebrate the release of her second album DceremonieThe album explores grief, loss, and saying goodbye, but also the search for one's own identity and a place to call home. Musically, it sits at the intersection of horror naivism and weird pop. The evening will also feature Ima Teva, who blends intimate vocals with electronic arrangements and synthesizers in her work.
Those who prefer a discussion that evening can head to the Memory of Nations Institute debate How do we come to terms with our past? Documentary filmmaker Adam Drda, writer Petra Klabouchová and psychologist Marek Preiss will join moderator Šárka Fenyková from Czech Radio to discuss the wild expulsion of Germans, security service archives, and the grievances passed down from generation to generation. They will also touch upon how to effectively address historical themes in pop culture.
The very next day marks the start of Signal Festival, in which Kampus will participate until Sunday, October 18. For children, there is a workshop called Valley of the Jellyfish by Greek artist Yiannis Kranidiotis, where younger participants will create a jellyfish as an animated film, and older ones will make a glowing object using an LED strip. The festival program will also include an interactive installation Sound Robot, which visitors can play themselves every day from 2 p.m.
The following week, a new lecture series will begin Mirrors of the Mind, which explores what ancient shamanic traditions and modern psychotherapy have in common. The first speaker, on October 20 Eva Césarová , will present Psychedelic Journeys Within, accompanied by a screening of the documentary Dosed.
Two days later, the Campus returns to music. The evening of October 22 will bring together Cate Hops, Munsha, and Orinoko, three musicians who each work with electronics and experimentation in their own unique way. Berlin-based Cate Hops composes electroacoustic music, Munsha, the alter ego of Daniela Lunelli, blends experimental electronics with art pop and jazz, and Prague-based Orinoko works with ambient music and sound design.
Towards the end of the month, the focus shifts to literature. Ondřej Macl, winner of the Jiří Orten Award, will present October 27 their book The Czech Sea. In it, they explore how the motif of the Czech sea appears in literature across genres and centuries, showing that the boundary between land and sea "is not as unwavering as maps depict, but also runs through our own bodies".
The full October program, including concerts, lectures, exhibitions, workshops, and student events, can be found on our website. You can follow the latest news from the Campus on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.
Cover photo: © Libor Galia
