The Tmavomodrý Festival, which connects the worlds of the sighted and the blind, is one of the Czech Republic’s most distinctive cultural events, and celebrates its 35th anniversary this month. The festival will take place in Brno on 16-17 October, offering concerts, workshops, and sensory art experiences that highlight how creativity can transcend borders.
Founded in 1989, the festival is a symbol of inclusion and artistic cooperation. This year, for the first time, it will be organized by the Magdalena Kožená Foundation, in collaboration with TIC Brno, which managed the festival in previous years.
Concerts, Creativity, and Connection
The festival’s program combines performances for the public with closed workshops for blind children and students. The highlight will be the Gala Concert at the Red Church on Friday, 17 October, from 4:30 p.m. Performers will include the choir of the Jaroslav Ježek School, the Levoča Combined Boarding School, a band from Jablonné nad Orlicí Elementary School, students from Brno Elementary School, and soloists from the Jan Deyl Conservatory.
The concert will conclude with a joint performance of the festival’s official song, Branches of Similar Trees, by clarinetist and composer Vojtěch Nýdl, who also serves as the event’s artistic patron. Admission is free, with voluntary contributions supporting the foundation’s charitable activities.
A Festival That Engages All the Senses
The morning workshops, held on both festival days, will allow participants to experience music and art beyond sight. Musicians Vojtěch Nýdl, Eva Nýdl, and Pavel Borský will lead musical sessions encouraging collaboration through sound and rhythm rather than visual cues.
“Music does not need sight to connect. On stage, boundaries disappear and only perception, interplay, and trust remain. Working with blind children always reminds me that true vision only begins when we look with the heart,” said Nýdl.
Additional events will take place in the Open Depository of the Moravian Gallery in Brno-Řečkovice, where participants can explore collections through touch, sound, and smell. A haptic art workshop will also invite children to create their own toys.
On Thursday, 16 October, the Children for Children concert at Šelepka (6:30 p.m.) will feature performances by young musicians from schools for both sighted and blind students, emphasizing collaboration and shared artistic experience.
A Tradition of Openness and Inclusion
Over the past three and a half decades, the Tmavomodrý Festival has become a model for inclusive art education in the Czech Republic. Its programs not only support young artists with visual impairments but also promote empathy and understanding among sighted students.
The festival takes place under the auspices of Brno Mayor Markéta Vaňková, with support from the Czech Ministries of Education and Culture, and a network of partners from across the Czech arts and education sectors.
More information about the program is available at www.nfkozena.cz.
