› The Czech Philharmonic, the National Theatre and the National Gallery in Prague are among the internationally renowned partners of ŠKODA AUTO’s cultural sponsoring
› The new ŠKODA OCTAVIA is being unveiled in Prague’s Trade Fair Palace; the building, home to the National Gallery’s Modern and Contemporary Art collection, is a prime example of functionalist architecture
Mladá Boleslav/ Prague, 11 November 2019 – The world premiere of the latest-generation ŠKODA OCTAVIA is taking place today in the Prague Trade Fair Palace. The functionalist building from 1928 is a prime example of the pioneering architecture of the time and houses the 19th-, 20th- and 21st-century art collections of the National Gallery. Choosing this venue for the world premiere, which is being broadcast around the world, underlines ŠKODA AUTO’s commitment to supporting prestigious cultural institutions in the Czech Republic. In addition to the National Gallery, the car manufacturer also supports the Czech Philharmonic and the National Theatre.
Cultural sponsoring is an important pillar of ŠKODA AUTO’s social commitment; the company has been supporting some of the Czech Republic’s most important cultural institutions for decades. The carmaker has been collaborating with the internationally renowned Czech Philharmonic for an impressive 20 years. The orchestra is considered one of the best in Europe and the partnership was extended only recently. In addition to its undertaking as a mobility partner of the Philharmonic, ŠKODA AUTO also supports special concerts such as the orchestra’s traditional open-air concert at the end of the concert season. At the unveiling of the fourth-generation ŠKODA OCTAVIA, more than 50 musicians from the Czech Philharmonic are performing ‘Opus Octavia’ together with the world-famous instrumental trio Time for Three. Acclaimed composer Jesse Milliner created the piece especially for this occasion.
The venue for the world premiere also emphasises the significance of the brand’s bestselling model: as part of its collaboration with the National Gallery in Prague, ŠKODA AUTO chose the inspiring ambience of the Trade Fair Palace in Holešovice, Prague’s creative district, for the event. The generous, timeless architecture of the building, which was constructed between 1925 and 1928, is considered a prime example of functionalism. These days, the building houses the National Gallery’s Modern and Contemporary Art collections. However, for the unveiling of the new OCTAVIA, the Trade Fair Palace is once again symbolically fulfilling its original purpose: presenting an industrially manufactured product.
Just like the collaboration with the Czech Philharmonic and the National Theatre, the support of the National Gallery is also characterised by a spirit of partnership. The car manufacturer financially supports the cultural institutions and provides vehicles, in return ŠKODA AUTO employees can enjoy exhibition tours or popular interactive workshops for their children.
Other cultural highlights supported by ŠKODA AUTO include the Smetana’s Litomyšl opera festival and the film festival for children and young people in Zlín, which is considered the world’s largest event of its kind.
