Social & Arts Organizations

The International Women´s Association of Prague is one of the best and most comprehensive social organizations around, offering support and entertainment for women living in Prague, and running courses and clubs in pretty much anything you could possibly imagine; tennis, bridge, art, cooking, sewing, exercise, mah jong, beading, languages and conversation, golf, and networking are just a few of the options available, and you can start your own club if your interest isn´t already catered for. Also, there´s a good range of activities and support for mothers with children, with play groups, outings and information on child friendly activities and areas around Prague. Obviously, IWAP is mostly only for women, but some activities allow spouses of members to participate. For more information, visit www.volny.cz/iwap.

If you´re of an arty inclination, Muddum and Školská 28 are tailor made to fill that beret shaped hole in your life. Muddum is a Community Arts space in Letná, Prague 7, which runs art workshops for adults and children, art therapy, film nights and poetry readings, and has a gallery and café attached with lots of interesting books to browse through. It runs courses on skills like ceramics, book binding, and mosaic among others, at impressively cheap prices, and you can book your kids in to learn about things like collage, pottery, and even film animation, as well as holding their birthday party there. Their teachers speak Spanish, English, Czech, Swedish and French, and they aim to provide support and a community atmosphere for artists and art lovers in the area.

Originally an old metal galvanizing workshop, Školská 28 (www.skolska28.cz) is a gallery and arts centre in the middle of town that holds great exhibitions of contemporary work, with an emphasis on film, photography, sculpture and sound, and runs classes and cultural events such as tai chi and spontaneous dance – these are done in Czech but only a very basic knowledge of the language is required to be able to participate fully, so you´ll be able to move and sway with the best of them. The tea room is a gem, where you can have a chat with other artists or art appreciators, help yourself to one of the many types of tea on offer, and peruse the latest in contemporary art in the magazines and catalogues they supply.

There are quite a few other clubs that run in Prague – it´s just a matter of deciding what you´re interested in and looking for them. Here are a few selected clubs that might take your fancy, or inspire you to investigate further. The Czech Sokol Organization is one of the biggest and longest running in the Czech Republic – it´s nation wide, and, although it´s mostly concerned with sporting activities, there are also some social groups and courses on themes like marionettes and national costume.

And lastly, for those of us who like to keep our heads out of the clouds and our eyes peeled for the hint of a scam, the Czech Skeptics Society, Sisyfos, is just the ticket. Aimed at exposing and delegitimizing irrational, pseudoscientific, occultist ideas, it holds lectures, debates and meetings, and has already successfully helped to debunk several healers and imposters on TV. So whatever your penchant, whether it be for interpretive dance or myth-busting, Prague might just have the club for you.