The reconstruction of a large production shop of the ČKD factory in Karlín, a former industrial neighbourhood of Prague, gave rise to a unique complex of art studios and galleries in 2005, the first of its kind in Prague. The founding father and initiator of this project was architect and art collector Alberto Di Stefano in collaboration with the Czech artist Jiří David.
The multifuctional cultural centre houses 17 studios which artists may rent and one studio for artists in residence. During the ten years of its existence a large number of acknowledged artists passed through Karlin Studios as well as different institutions and galleries – let us mention e.g. the publishing house Divus and its magazine Umělec (Artist) or The Foundation for Contemporary Art Prague. Among the well-known galleries let us mention the Entrance Gallery, k.art.on or KIV which together with the central Karlin Studios organized several hundreds of exhibitions.
In the early years of its greatest fame Karlin Studios enabled artists to create art, display, reflect and document their work – all under one roof.
The Karlin Studios profile is to a certain degree a retrospective one because after ten years of existence the complex is moving to Prague 7 and the present space will be devoured by the expanding complex of offices.
