Eva Hájková, učo 273458, 273458@mail.muni.cz


Case study: Experience a different city, Prague by Auto*Mat

The annual festival or neighborhood celebration called Experience a different city is organized by
Prague NGO Auto*Mat, which is usually focused on promoting an alternative possibilities of
transportation within the city. The main aim of festival is to show the scope of city space and the
opportunities which the city offers to its inhabitants and visitors.


Organization

The festival is organized in several city quarters and it takes one day (usually Saturday),
according o the interest of organizations, which are settled in the neighborhood. That is why there
is not just campaign but several of them covered by, as was already mentioned, by Auto*Mat and the
participants – (mainly alternative) local pubs and cafes, galleries, NGO, cinemas or citizens
organizations.


Goal of the festival and its main actors

The main aim of the festival is to propagate cycling in streets, which is still quite oppressed in
Prague and also to show the city streets as a place for meetings, walks, talking and play.  The
main focus is put on the inner cities such as Letná, Žižkov or Vinohrady. Those quarters are
traditional settlements of middle class or they are coming through gentrification, and so attract
young educated population, often recently new parents.

In the strategy the local campaign is let on local organizers and the only one common action is
bike - ride through the city. For example  in Letná organizers used place which is usually a
parking place and changed it into a mixture of bar, children playground, showroom of alternative
furniture, made from used things and cinema. All in one street, which has about 100 meters length.


Focus on locals

In the campaign is oppressed the usual representation of Prague as historical city, with genius
loci. The aim is to show Prague quarters primarily to their inhabitants and little bit also to
representatives of city, who usually do not care so much about comfort of bikers or pedestrians.
Also just

The propagation of campaign is made according to this goal – flyers in bars with specific visitors
or through local social networks, used mainly by specific group of people.

Because of “occupation” of public space there are some complains about transport difficulties
during the festival and about noise in the quarter but those complaints are rare and are coming
from individuals, not from organized group, maybe also because this event takes a part just once a
year.


Conclusion

The festival have become through the years of its existence quite well known even in the sense of
public awareness about the event. Its marketing campaign is targeted with success and it attracts
the public. The propagation of festival is not made through the big support of municipal house
(although patronage above festival hold one of municipal councilor, the support was more than
symbolic) but through the social contact.  Which, on one side is one of the main aims - making
contact within the community.


Sources:

http://www.auto-mat.cz/aktivity/zazitmestojinak/experience-the-city/

http://www.pragueout.cz/mesto/articles/zazit-mesto-jinak

http://www.kinoaero.cz/cz/cykly-festivaly/181/Experience-a-different-city/272/2012/