Javůrková: Culture is More Than a Concert It’s a Tool for Changing the City and People’s Lives
112 ǀ POSITIV WOMAN
Culture is More Than a Concert
It’s a Tool for Changing the City
and People’s Lives
Petra Javůrková, Head of Sales and Markeng at the Janáček Philharmonic Ostrava and Chair
of the Board of the Concert Hall Ostrava Endowment Fund, talks about her journey- from her
grandfather’s studio, through the world of business, to creang cultural projects with real impact.
What led you to culture, music, and marketing
– and how did your path lead to the Janáček
Philharmonic?
I was surrounded by culture from an early age.
My grandfather was a painter – he painted still lifes
and landscapes of the Beskydy Mountains, and I spent
hours in his studio. I can still recall the scent of oil paints
and the calm atmosphere that filled the space. After
finishing grammar school in Ostrava, I studied Art History
in Olomouc and completed part of my studies in France.
However, I began my professional career outside
the field – first in an IT company and later in an
American analytics and consulting firm in Prague,
where I gained my most valuable experiences. After
several years, I realised that my true home was Ostrava.
I wanted to bring my experience back to a project
that made sense for the region – and the offer from
the Janáček Philharmonic came at just the right time.
In your view, does classical music have a future
among young people? What works when trying
to attract new audiences – families, children,
teenagers?
Absolutely. Music and culture always make sense –
we just have to present them in the right way. It’s important
to teach children to feel rhythms, to recognise emotions
and to listen. With an open mind, they can return to music
at any time. That’s why our programming targets different
levels of musical experiences and aims to offer everyone
something that speaks to them – from children to adults
who often know classical music only from compulsory
school concerts. In addition to traditional symphonic
performances, we therefore include hosted concerts for
children and adults with engaging programmes, as well
as popular crossover projects.
What do you personally find the biggest challenge
in communicating and “selling” classical music
to a modern audience?
The foundation is to create a good product –
a programme you truly stand behind. It has to be
designed in a way that satisfies the broadest range
of listeners’ expectations without making them feel that
something is “beyond their reach.” Then comes the next
challenge – attracting listeners to a particular concert.
When they enjoy it, we know we’re on the right track,
and that’s when the multiplying effect begins.
Another important aspect is how we actually reach our
audience. Different marketing tools work for different
target groups, so we aim to combine various channels
– from working with the media and advertising
campaigns to using social networks and other online
tools.
Petra Javůrková is a prominent gure in cultural
management who has spent more than a decade
driving the transformaon of the Janáček Philharmonic
Ostrava brand. She believes that connecng business
and culture is crucial – business is made by people,
and culture culvates them. She wants those who
choose to stay in Ostrava to have a high-quality
environment, the appete to create, and to live a good
life. She believes business can give culture wings.
Fundraising is a relavely young
discipline in our region, but that gives
us the chance to do it our own way.