Brno turns into a giant digital art gallery for three nights this October

Prague's Signal Festival isn't the only event that will light up a Czech city this fall. Brno's streets, squares and historic landmarks will become a sprawling digital art gallery in October as the Prototyp festival brings light installations, lasers, videomapping and interactive artworks into the city center.

Running from Oct. 1–3, the 12th edition marks a significant change for the festival, which combines art, science and technology. For the first time, Prototyp is moving directly into Brno's public spaces, creating a nighttime walking route through some of the city's best-known locations.

Visitors can encounter installations at Špilberk Castle, Náměstí Svobody, Moravské náměstí, St. James' Church, the New Town Hall, Denisovy sady and the piazzetta outside Janáček Theatre, among other locations.

The main exhibition runs from 7 p.m. until midnight each night, and much of the program can be experienced for free.

Rather than concentrating the festival in a single venue, this year's Prototyp is designed to be explored on foot, with installations spread throughout central Brno.

Among the highlights is Firefly Field, a kinetic light installation by Dutch Studio Toer at Biskupský dvůr. Hotel Grandezza on Zelný trh will become a canvas for The Rhythm of the Ocean, a videomapping work, while the New Town Hall will host both outdoor videomapping and the ticketed kinetic installation FLUX.

At Špilberk Castle, visitors can encounter several works, including Digital Graffiti, an interactive projection, and Aura of the Monument, which uses light to intervene in the appearance of the historic landmark.

Elsewhere, a laser work titled Line of Memory will connect the Red Church and Denisovy sady, while the Janáček Theatre piazzetta hosts Knot, a large illuminated inflatable object. Náměstí Svobody, Koliště and Moravské náměstí are also among the free outdoor locations.

One of the festival's major indoor attractions is The Path of Light at St. James' Church, an immersive audiovisual show combining the church interior with digital projection and sound. The installation is also getting an early preview from Sept. 18–20, ahead of the full festival.

International artists represented this year come from the Netherlands, Spain, France, Hungary and Slovakia alongside Czech creators.

The festival takes place Thursday, Oct. 1 through Saturday, Oct. 3, with the main art route open from 7 p.m. to midnight.

Organizers estimate that seeing the complete route takes around two to three hours. Visitors can explore the installations in any order, although arriving at 7 p.m. is recommended for those hoping to see as much as possible. Those looking to avoid the largest crowds may prefer arriving around 9 p.m.

Most locations are within walking distance, and organizers specifically recommend exploring the festival on foot rather than traveling between installations by bike or scooter.

A large part of Prototyp can be visited without a ticket. Some indoor and special installations, including works at St. James' Church, the New Town Hall, Biskupský dvůr and Špilberk Castle, require a Prototyp Pass.

Tickets for paid locations can be purchased in advance and exchanged for a festival wristband. Organizers recommend advance booking because individual venues have limited capacity.

The opening night also includes the free Close and Far fashion performance at Moravské náměstí from 7 p.m., followed by a concert from Prague-based audiovisual project NIVVA at 8 p.m.

Families can find additional programming on Saturday, when KUMST hosts free workshops exploring digital and creative technologies. Registration is recommended for workshops with limited capacity.

For visitors coming from Prague, the compact layout makes Prototyp particularly suited to an evening trip or overnight stay: rather than traveling between conventional galleries, visitors can follow the installations through central Brno at their own pace, with much of the route accessible without a ticket.

Full details about this year's festival can be found at the official Prototyp website.