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Openness, a creative atmosphere, and sharing – these are the defining features of the event that brings hundreds of participants of different ages and backgrounds to the Sutnar Faculty each year. As always, the courses welcomed secondary school students, many of whom see the summer school as an opportunity to prepare for talent-based entrance exams, alongside creative individuals seeking new experiences and inspiration as part of their personal development or active leisure time.

“ArtCamp is a mosaic of stories for me,” said executive director Lenka Kodýtková. “I am glad that the summer school is not seen merely as an educational programme. It is a space for meeting and growth. People who didn’t know each other just a few days ago are here creating together, supporting each other, and sharing their free time.”

This sense of community was echoed by Anna Štičková from Brno, who returned to ArtCamp for the second time and chose an intaglio printmaking course: “I work in literature. I came here to recharge as most of my work takes place on a computer. This is a different world: communal, open, a change of pace. And that’s something we all need.”

A total of 37 art and design courses were held, covering a wide range of disciplines from traditional drawing and painting to virtual reality. Nearly 400 participants took part. In addition to lecturers from the Sutnar Faculty, guest tutors from the Czech Republic and abroad also joined the programme.

Estonian illustrator Viive Noor worked with her students on a folding book based on the story of Little Red Riding Hood, while Czech illustrator Marto Kelbl guided participants through the process of creating an author’s book. Mari Kučera, originally from Japan, led her students through the path of writing in a course dedicated to Japanese calligraphy Shodo, which she taught at ArtCamp for the second time. A fresh perspective on origami was offered by Ilan Garibi from Israel, whose course focused on paper-folding techniques applied in design. Participants in the fashion design course, led by Sutnar Faculty graduate Andrea Pavlovičová, created original garments based on their own designs. Another graduate, Adam Kaňovský, shared his experience from the gaming industry in a course focused on visual development for computer game design. One of the two figure drawing courses was taught by Bosnian artist Adi Karailo, while Italian storyboard artist Federico Chericoni introduced participants to the process of storyboard creation and its application in the film industry.

For Slovak artist Martin Schwarz, who led a sketching course at ArtCamp for the second time, this year’s edition was also an opportunity to reflect on his own development and shift in teaching approach: "While I used to focus primarily on delivering clear information and checking whether students understood and applied the principles correctly, my additional goal now is to awaken their curiosity and motivate them to enjoy drawing, experimenting, and improving. If I manage to do that and they continue drawing beyond the course, they’ll keep getting better and eventually learn far more than I could ever teach them in a single week."

The one-week format of each course presents a challenge for both tutors and participants. The work is focused and intensive, with the aim of presenting outcomes at a final exhibition held every Friday at the faculty and open to the public. This year, visitors could also experience the atmosphere of the summer school through a range of accompanying events – from artist talks and student film screenings as part of the ArtCamp Talks series, to informal art evenings at a local café, guided studio tours for prospective students, and the opening of the exhibition Three Paths at the Incubator Gallery.

An exhibition showcasing the work of ArtCamp Summer School tutors is a regular part of the Sutnar Faculty’s exhibition programme. This year, it focuses on three illustrators, each with a distinctive approach and visual language. Viive Noor, Marto Kelbl, and Martin Schwarz bring to the gallery a diverse mosaic of styles, media, and personal expression. The exhibition is on view on the ground floor of the Ladislav Sutnar Faculty of Design and Art until 29 August.

More photos and videos from this year’s ArtCamp can be found on Instagram: @artcamp.pilsen. The 20th edition of ArtCamp will take place from 13 to 31 July 2026.

ArtCamp 2025 was financially supported by the City of Pilsen.