PURPOSIA Award Supports Young Talents

In cooperation with the University of Ostrava, PURPOSIA Group is launching the first edition of an art competition aimed at supporting emerging visual artists. The newly established PURPOSIA Award seeks to foster cultural development in the Moravian-Silesian Region, discover talented artists, and expand the University of Ostrava Art Collection. The competition winner may receive up to CZK 100,000.

“I have served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the University of Ostrava for nine years. During that time, we have supported a wide range of university activities, but this competition is something entirely new. It is clearly focused on culture. We want to show that the Moravian-Silesian Region is a place where art thrives, where inspiring artists are born, live, and create — and we want to discover them at the very beginning of their careers. That is why the competition is aimed at students and graduates of art schools connected to the region,” says Jan Hasík, CEO of PURPOSIA Group.

A Unique Collection with Timeless Value

The goal of the competition is to help young artists at the beginning of their artistic careers. At the same time, the winning artwork will become part of the university’s Art Collection, which reflects the current perspective of the youngest generation of visual artists.

“The University of Ostrava Art Collection was established five years ago with the aim of preserving, managing, and academically processing works created by students and faculty members of the University of Ostrava. Today, it contains nearly 50 works by young as well as already respected artists. Over time, interest has expanded to include works by prominent artists connected to the Moravian-Silesian Region. Thanks to the cooperation and support of PURPOSIA, this area has now gained new opportunities — namely, acquiring valuable works by young artists from all art universities across the Czech Republic,” adds Jan Lata, founder of the collection and former rector of the University of Ostrava.

Terms of Participation

Applicants may submit individual works or comprehensive art series across all visual art disciplines. The competition is intended for students and recent graduates of higher education art institutions who have a connection to the Moravian-Silesian Region — whether through study, residence, work, or origin.

An expert jury will select the winning artwork, which the university will purchase for up to CZK 100,000. The award also includes the opportunity for an individual presentation and media support. Applications can be submitted until 15 June 2026 via email to the competition coordinator Dr. Ema Ducháčková. Competition terms and conditions are available on the University of Ostrava website.

Social Responsibility as Part of the Group’s Strategy in the Czech Republic and Slovakia

Support for culture is one of the pillars of PURPOSIA Group’s activities. “Every year, we invest more than 10% of our profits into supporting culture, sports, and education. It is important for us that meaningful projects have room to grow and that the public has access to a diverse range of activities,” says Jan Hasík.

Among other initiatives, the company is the general partner of the Meltingpot discussion forum within the Colours of Ostrava festival and has long cooperated with the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, where it operates the KVIFF.TV Park venue. Since this year, PURPOSIA has also become a partner of the Czech Philharmonic.

In addition to culture, the group also supports sporting events such as the J&T Beach Volleyball Ostrava, the Emil Zátopek Golden Marathon, and RENSAR Ski. PURPOSIA Group also regularly sponsors Ostrava Christmas celebrations.

The group’s subsidiaries are involved in additional initiatives as well. The development group ANTRACIT was the main partner of the One World festival and the general partner of the Meat Design festival.

The construction group HSF System has long financially supported the Rector’s Award of the University of Ostrava for scientists under 35 years of age, as well as regional sporting events such as HSF System Bike Čeladná and the HSF System Cycling Team, which encourages children and youth to engage in cycling.

The group’s subsidiaries are also active in social responsibility initiatives in Slovakia, supporting a wide range of public events. HSF System SK has long financially contributed to events such as the Rajecký Marathon and the Žilina Triathlon, which is also supported by ANTRACIT SK.

Through its subsidiaries, the group also closely cooperates with Slovak universities, including the University of Žilina and Comenius University Bratislava.