Matter of Art is a non-profit, critical, and self-critical organization which investigates possibilities for the social and political functions of art in the present day. Matter of Art’s events and projects operate in various social contexts and include the Festival of Performance Art, podcasts about contemporary art, and the Matter of Art Online Bookstore. These activities culminate in the international Biennale Matter of Art, which began in 2020 in Prague.

Matter of Art abides by the code of practice of feminist institutions, which values interconnection and sustainability over performance and productivity. We believe it possible in institutional practice to foresee the world we want and thus contribute to a more concrete vision of a better future. This happens with an awareness of the contradictions which stem from the political, social, and economic realities in which we function. By addressing and highlighting these issues, we transform our institution into a political space.

We want to be meaningful in a local context, lead discussions about the position of art, culture, and cultural institutions in the region, and foster long-term relationships with local communities; however, we don’t want to limit ourselves to local issues. We develop international connections and build relationships based on solidarity beyond the scope of our own culture. We believe institutions are never neutral, that they contribute to maintaining or challenging the status quo. We are building a cultural institution as a space for public discussion about visions that carry within them a hope for emancipation, social and ecological justice, and real democracy.

tranzit.cz is an initiative for contemporary art. Founded in 2002 as part of the Central European network tranzit.org, tranzit.cz aims to contribute to the accessible and participative development of critical culture, hosting exhibitions, artistic and curatorial residencies, and discursive events. During its twenty-two years of existence, tranzit.cz has initiated or participated in numerous projects. From 2007 to 2017 tranzit.cz was part of the Prague gallery project tranzitdisplay, in 2017 it initiated the creation of the Code of Feminist (Art) Institutions, and in 2020 and 2022 it organized the first two editions of the Biennale Matter of Art in Prague. tranzit.cz is also a founding member of the East Europe Biennial Alliance. tranzit.cz has published books by Czech artists such as Pavel Humhal and Jiří David as well as Czech translations of texts from the fields of critical theory, philosophy, art and feminist theory, and prose (e.g., Sophie Lewis, Shulamith Firestone, Audre Lorde, Frantz Fanon, Bruno Latour, Marcel Duchamp, Didier Eribon, Chris Kraus, Hakim Bey, John Cage, David Graeber, Carla Lonzi, Nicolas Bourriaud, etc.).