Multicultural Center Brusinka – Annual Report 2025

Introduction

The year 2025 was a period of intensive work, growth, and significant challenges for the Multicultural Center Brusinka. Our activities are long-term focused on strengthening social cohesion, supporting the integration of foreigners, and creating a safe space for education, creativity, and meaningful encounters across cultures and generations.

The center operates as an open community hub that connects education, arts, wellbeing, and civic participation. We respond to the current needs of Brno’s residents, especially families, children, young people, and newcomers.

Our activities are aligned with the City of Brno’s strategic frameworks, particularly the #brno2050 Strategy and the Strategy for the Integration of Foreigners. We contribute to strengthening community cohesion, expanding access to non-formal education, and creating safe spaces for interaction.

Scope and Impact of Activities

In 2025, our center:

– delivered approximately 3,800 educational and creative sessions, – organized more than 50 community and cultural events, – engaged over 1,600 participants, – worked with people from more than 100 nationalities.

Our activities were delivered by a team of over 40 educators, collaborators, and volunteers from diverse backgrounds, who collectively ensure the quality and continuity of our educational, cultural, and community programs.

We monitor our impact through a combination of quantitative and qualitative indicators, including repeat participation, diversity of participants, and feedback.

More than 60% of participants return regularly and engage in multiple programs. Some gradually take on more active roles, for example as volunteers or facilitators.

Key outcomes include:

– reduced social isolation, – improved language and communication skills, – increased sense of trust and safety, – active participation of migrants and minorities in community life.

Our work contributes to the prevention of social tension and supports the long-term stability of the local community.

Programs and Activities

The center offers a wide range of activities for both children and adults:

– language courses, – artistic and creative workshops, – music programs, concerts, and open mic events, – community gatherings, storytelling and discussion formats, – educational and personal development programs focused on wellbeing and communication.

A key aspect of our approach is individual support, a safe environment, and an emphasis on connecting people across social and cultural boundaries.

We also organize summer day camps for children:

– Memory Masters (in cooperation with CenterEduNeuron), focused on developing memory, attention, and language skills, – EcoAkademie (in cooperation with Asociace Babylon), combining creativity, urban exploration, and environmental education.

These programs support the integration of children from international backgrounds and provide practical support for families during the summer months.

Our activities also include original cultural projects developed within our community. One example is Café de Paris — a concert with theatrical elements created by students of our music department under the guidance of their teacher, singer Elizaveta Černjak. Inspired by the atmosphere of Parisian cafés, the event brought together music, linguistic diversity, and a shared sense of community.

Projects, Partnerships, and International Dimension

In 2025, we implemented projects at both local and international levels.

The project Malujeme hudbu (Painting Music) connects generations and uses art as a tool for communication, self-expression, and mental wellbeing. Participants include seniors, children, national minorities, and people with specific needs.

The center is a member of:

– European Network of Cultural Centres (ENCC), – ANNO JMK, – South Moravian Council of Children and Youth (JRDM), – Delia Arts Foundation (international partner), – and collaborates within the Anna Lindh Foundation network.

We also participated in the project BOLD – Brave Open Leaders in Diversity (Erasmus+).

Our work includes storytelling formats focused on sharing experiences and fostering dialogue across cultures. In 2025, we collaborated in this area with Shaun Copple and the Brno BreakThru initiative.

Cultural Projects and International Collaboration

Musical Bridges of Europe – Lorenzo Masotto and Clemens Christian Poetzsch

In October 2025, we delivered an international music project featuring pianists and composers Lorenzo Masotto from Italy and Clemens Christian Poetzsch from Germany.

The project included the following activities:

– professional workshops at the Old Town Hall in Brno, – concert performances at Besední dům in Brno.

The project brought contemporary European music to Brno and created a space for meaningful encounters between audiences, artists, and communities across cultures. It significantly strengthened international cultural cooperation and contributed to the development of an open, interconnected, and culturally vibrant urban environment.

A distinct and important component of the project was the Czech-German initiative “Concert of Clemens Christian Poetzsch in Brno – A Personal Musical Journey Connecting the Czech and German Cultural Space”, which was supported by the Czech-German Future Fund.

In 2025, we also organised the first Argentine Cultural Festival in Brno, presenting the music, culture, and traditions of Latin America to a wide audience. The festival was attended by the Ambassador of Argentina to the Czech Republic, further highlighting its significance in the field of international cultural cooperation.

Cooperation with Brno City

Our activities complement and expand the city’s offerings in the areas of integration, community life, and non-formal education.

An important partner is the Brno-střed municipal district, which supports our work, for example by providing spaces for our activities.

We also participated in:

– Christmas markets at náměstí Svobody (presentation of works by our community), – cultural program at Moravské náměstí (live performances).

Funding and Sustainability

The center operates through a combination of public funding, grants, and partnerships.

In 2025, we were supported by:

– the City of Brno (non-investment grant for rent), – AT&T, supporting multicultural education and integration of children and families, – Nadace umění pro zdraví, – Nadační fond Propolis33, – HARTMANN – RICO a.s. (Dobrý soused 2025 program), – Nadační fond Emil Family.

Our activities are also supported by corporate volunteers from:

– AT&T – Goodera, – Red Hat, – Kyndryl.

This model allows us to maintain accessibility of our services. However, financial sustainability remains a challenge, and without continuous support, some activities may be limited or discontinued.

Public Engagement and Presence in the City

The center is an active part of public life in Brno.

In 2025, we participated in:

– Brno Expat Fair, – Jobspin Jobfair, – Open House Brno, – Speak Dating Brno 2025, – Family Week 2025, – Mendel Festival 2025, – Kam kráčíš, Brno, – ANNO JMK non-profit organisations meetings, – South Moravian Volunteer Center meetings.

We also took part in the Slavnosti in Dolní Dunajovice in cooperation with Eurocentrum Brno, where our director delivered a lecture focused on intercultural dialogue, education, and building understanding in a diverse society.

This engagement contributed to the dissemination of good practices and strengthened collaboration between communities beyond the city of Brno.

The center was also actively presented at the Nonprofit Organisations Fair organized by the Faculty of Social Studies of Masaryk University.

We co-organized community and cultural events such as Sudan Day in collaboration with World Bridge Initiatives, which contributed to strengthening intercultural dialogue and raising awareness of African communities in Brno.

We also organized foreign-language book fairs (spring and autumn 2025), creating space for sharing literature, languages, and cultural perspectives across communities.

Our activities also included performances by our students and lecturers at the Christmas markets on Moravské náměstí.

We shared our themes through media as well, including the Brno GS podcast, where we opened discussions on communication, relationships, and the importance of a supportive environment for personal development.

Recognition

Our administrator, Sofia Zakharkina, was nominated for the Personality of NGOs of the South Moravian Region 2025 award in the Young Community Leader category, recognizing her contribution to community development and intercultural dialogue.

Impact on the City

Multicultural Center Brusinka:

– supports the integration of foreigners, – strengthens community relationships, – creates a safe space for education, – contributes to the prevention of social problems.

It represents a functional and stable infrastructure for community life in Brno.

Conclusion

Multicultural Center Brusinka is a stable and essential part of the city of Brno.

Its continued existence means preserving a space that connects people, supports integration, and contributes to the long-term quality of life in the city.