Street Art Festival 2025: Past Perspectives

• Street Art Festival in Olomouc

• Deadline: June 1st, 2025

• Category: Street Art

• Prize: €1,200 + Exhibition

• Entry Fees: Free

• REGISTRATION: CLICK HERE

Throughout history, cities have operated as living ecosystems where architecture, art, and public life intersect in meaningful ways. Olomouc offers a particularly compelling case study in how public spaces can reflect a society’s cultural priorities and artistic evolution. Over the centuries, this Moravian city has continually embraced the role of art as a public good—something integrated into its urban fabric rather than imposed upon it.

The baroque fountains of Olomouc are an excellent example of this philosophy. With their elaborate detail and intelligent placement within the city’s layout, these structures demonstrate how artistic form can elevate function, and how visual culture can contribute to civic identity. These fountains are not merely remnants of a distant past; they are enduring reminders of an era when artistic excellence was inseparable from urban development.

The early 20th century introduced another significant moment in Olomouc’s artistic journey, with the rise of large-scale sculptures dedicated to national figures and ideals. The statue of T. G. Masaryk in Žižkov Square encapsulates this shift. As a political and cultural icon, Masaryk represents a pivotal historical moment—but the artwork itself also stands as a powerful testament to the role of public art in shaping collective memory.

The SAFE Olomouc 2025 festival embraces this ongoing dialogue between art, urban space, and society. With a long-standing commitment to fostering critical conversations about the role of creative expression in civic environments, this year’s theme invites reflection on the ways in which both contemporary and historical art interventions have defined—and redefined—the public face of Olomouc.

However, not all recent additions to the public realm uphold these standards. A growing number of installations and artistic endeavors fail to account for their context, resulting in a visual and conceptual dissonance that undermines the integrity of public space. In response, the 18th edition of the festival aims to critically evaluate past and present works, including those that have disappeared or been forgotten.

Through this program, we aim to spark informed, inclusive conversations about what constitutes meaningful public art. How do we balance artistic freedom with environmental harmony? What responsibilities do artists and city planners hold in shaping public experience? SAFE Olomouc 2025 positions these questions at the heart of its mission, seeking not only to celebrate artistic achievement but to guide the future of public space in a thoughtful, culturally enriched direction.