Organ restoration and revitalization of the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Bučovice

The subject of the project is in particular a restoration of a unique organ with its baroque casing listed as a historical heritage. The history of this cultural monument dates back to 1788. The project is also focused on the repair of the roof of the early baroque Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary from 1642, which is an immovable cultural monument and a significant dominant of the city center of Bučovice town.

Besides construction and restoration works, another aim of the project is to make the sight more accessible. Therefor there will be new opening times, when the church will be open for public, personal visit and interior tour.

Even further accessibility will be reached in innovative way by creating a virtual tour of the church and interactive virtual 3D model of the Organ. Both presentations will be placed on the Parish website, accessible for people with physical disabilities, who may find it difficult to visit the church in person.

In the cooperation with the Czech partner PAMET Civic Association, there will be a permanent exhibition created in the spacious church vestibul about the persecution of Catholic church in the time of totalitarianism, with focus on Fr. Vaclav Drbola. This priest was a significant personality of the parish and the town Bučovice He worked as a chaplain in the parish and was actively involved in local associations and in the Czechoslovak People's Party. In 1951, he was unlawfully executed. He was rehabilitated by law in 1990. The process of his beatification is now underway. An opening ceremony is planned on the 1rd of August 2021 on the remembrance of his execution 70 years ago.

Additional activities will tribute to preservation of the live function of the cultural heritage. The partner PAMET Civic Association will annually prepare and present exhibition, mapping the stories of persecuted people and events connected to the time of totalitarianism. A public lecture on the same topic will be organised together with the exhibitons in the church.

In cooperation with another Czech partner MUSICA SACRA, there will be an interpretation Organ course organised for Conservatory students and professional organists. This course will end with a public concert in the Church.

The parish will also join two national events every year, and offer an interesting program to public. A spring event called The Night of Churches will be organised with a Norwegian partner URVAL OSLO ART. The partner will help with an organization of an exhibition of Norwegian art. The exhibition will start with an opening ceremony on the day of The Night of Churches event. An autumn event is known as European Heritage Days.

The project also includes a visit of a parish representatives to galleries in Norway, where a project partner is involved, in order to gain inspiration and experience in organizing exhibitions.

Within the project there will also be new vacancies created. The management and the promotion of the project will be also financially supported.

A part of the project is also a creation and implementation of a business strategy. This strategy will consider local conditions and propose an optimal long-term utilization and operation of the restored cultural heritage, so it can bring a maximal benefit to the locality and the region.