Spring culture guide 2025: The best art, theater, film, and music in Prague

Czechia’s cultural scene is having a moment. With artistic heavyweights like Warhol and Lynch in the mix alongside a spectrum of performances (multiple Macbeths are poised to take the stage), music from philharmonic to Phantom, and a season of extraordinary independent film, the Czech capital is a feast for culture vultures this spring. Here’s a snapshot of the best.

The National Gallery Prague kicks off its 2025 season with Spring Opening 2025 (March 27), at the Trade Fair Palace. The news season’s highlights include Silent Spring: Art and Nature 1930–1970, a study of organic abstraction from surrealism to the 1960s, based on the Rachel Carson manifesto of the same name. Echoes of the Venice Biennale: Eva Koťátková, revisits a poignant installation about a storied giraffe’s captivity.

From March 28, GHMP’s Enter the Room immerses visitors in gaming-influenced art, where digital landscapes blend with ecological and futuristic themes. The exhibition, part of the Youth Biennial, showcases Czech and Berlin-based artists. Meanwhile, GHMP presents a career-spanning retrospective of the Slovak photographer Tono Stano at its city library gallery (April 16–August 24).

At DOX, Hynek Martinec, the Czech-British painter, returns to Prague for his first solo exhibition, Cyberlemon (March 28) since 2018. Later this spring, the late great film director and visual artist David Lynch receives a major retrospective (April 24), a collaboration between Paris’s Item Éditions and L.A.’s Pace Gallery.

Prague Castle’s Riding Hall honors the Czech-French painter Franta (through June 15), whose seven-decade career interrogates themes of war and human suffering.

The Museum of Decorative Arts revisits the commercial aesthetic of Fred Kramer (1913–1994), an advertising photographer whose innovative use of color in the 1960s shaped Czech visual culture (from April 17).

For those drawn to overlooked histories, Women, Masters, Artists: 1300–1900 (May 30–Nov. 2) at the Valdštejn Riding Hall foregrounds female artists from Central Europe, the Netherlands, and Italy.

For an spring art road trip, head to Gočár Gallery in Pardubice to see The Lived Dream of Andy Warhol (Feb. 24–Apr. 27). The exhibit offers a deeper look at the artist’s lesser-known Slovak past, exploring Warhol’s immigrant roots and personal anxieties, showcasing early works, personal artifacts, and rarely seen pieces from his extensive career.

The European tour of The Phantom of the Opera (March 19–April 6) brings Andrew Lloyd Webber’s opulent musical to Congress Centre, offering it in English with Czech subtitles. Meanwhile, at the Spirála, a live performance of the Squid Game soundtrack (April 19) by acclaimed composer Jung Jaeil and the Czech National Symphony Orchestra promises an immersive, cinematic experience.

For those seeking a truly physical performance, the newly opened Senses (March 25–29) at Jatka78 showcases Cirk La Putyka’s fusion of circus, dance, and theater, an exuberant exploration of the human condition.

Opera lovers can look forward to several compelling productions, including Manon Lescaut (premiering March 27 and 29) at the State Opera, a passionate staging of Puccini’s tragic tale of love and betrayal, and a fresh rendition of Massenet’s Werther (premiering March 13), presented by the National Theatre with direction by Willy Decker. A historic premiere comes with the Dresdner Musikfestspiele’s Siegfried (April 1), offering Richard Wagner’s masterpiece in a historically informed performance at the State Opera.

The International Dance Weeks festival (April 3–30, 2025) celebrates its 39th year as Central Europe’s oldest contemporary dance event. With performances, workshops, and artist talks across Prague, it culminates in a star-studded showcase on April 13 at Vinohrady Theatre—bringing global and local talent together on one stage.

DEKKADANCERS, an award-winning dance company of former National Theatre Ballet dancers, presents dynamic, language-free contemporary dance performances accessible to all audiences. Performing at Jatka78, they will showcase And (April 1–3), choreographed by Jiří Pokorný, and La Dolce Vita (April 4–6), a dance about homelessness, which received two Thalia nominations.

Theater enthusiasts will be captivated by two striking interpretations of Macbeth. Prague Shakespeare Company’s Macbeth (April 26) presents a streamlined, intense version at the Estates Theatre, while Macbeth – Too Much Blood (April 28) at Na Zabradli Theatre thrusts Shakespeare’s dark tale into a modern, visceral context.

Stand ups Ari Eldjárn and Tommy Tiernan will bring their distinct comedic styles to U Hasičů Theater in Prague this spring. On April 4, Tiernan, the irascible Irish comedian, and Derry Girls star will bring decades of experience to the stage with his wild, unpredictable stand-up. Eldjárn, Iceland’s stand-up sensation, will debut From Iceland With Love on May 7.

The Czech Dance Platform (April 27–29) showcases the country’s most compelling contemporary dance works, handpicked by an expert jury. A hub for artists, curators, and critics, it blends performances with discussions, site-specific projects, and networking events—keeping Prague at the heart of Europe’s dance conversation for over 30 years.

The Prague Spring Festival (May 12–June 2) is Czechia’s premier classical music event, drawing top orchestras, soloists, and conductors for a month of unforgettable performances. This year, a standout: the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s festival debuted on May 20 at Municipal House, with Mahler’s Symphony No. 6 under Jaap van Zweden.

Since 1999, Prague’s Khamoro Festival (May 25–31) has celebrated Romani culture with a week of music, film, dance, and debate. Supergroups like Mahala Rai Banda and Kočani Orkestar headline, while a jubilant parade electrifies the city. More than a festival, it’s a bridge—uniting audiences through rhythm, history, and shared joy.

For people who live to see English-language theater in the Czech capital, spring doesn’t officially blossom until the curtains rise at the Prague Fringe Festival. Each May, a vibrant (and sometimes noisy) theater-loving crowd descends on the Malostranská Beseda and nearby venues for a six-day celebration of all things Fringe and the artists who craft them. This year runs from May 26–31.

Book World Prague 2025 (May 15-18) will celebrate its 30th anniversary at the newly renovated Křižík Pavilions and surrounding areas. The festival will highlight Portugal as the guest of honor, showcasing its literary tradition. The program will explore the past, present, and future of literature, under the theme “30! Energy of Youth – Wisdom of Books.”

The 32 annual Days of European Film festival runs from April 2 to 8 in Prague, with regional screenings from April 9 to 16. The program includes European feature films, documentaries, animations, a retrospective of French director Michel Gondry, and a screening of Bird by British director Andrea Arnold.

On April 11, Black Bag directed by Steven Soderbergh, screens at Přítomnost Boutique Cinema. The spy drama stars Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender as a married couple caught in international treason. A Film & Dinner event pairs the screening with a full dinner menu.

The Prague Film Festival, held from April 23–26 at Kino Pilotu, is a unique professional event showcasing world, European, and Czech premieres. It offers live screenings and industry programs and features Palme d'Or winners. The festival also includes special screenings of past award-winning films.

The Certified Czech series is back for spring with Ikarie XB 1 (1963), directed by Jindřich Polák, at Edison Filmhub on April 30. Set in the 22nd century, it follows a team of scientists exploring Alpha Centauri aboard the Ikarie XB 1. The screening will be followed by a discussion on this Czech sci-fi classic. See Edison's full spring lineup here.

Skip the crowds and catch legendary concerts on the big screen with Concerts in Cinema at Světozor’s Great Hall. From Hans Zimmer’s sweeping scores to Imagine Dragons’ arena anthems and Pink Floyd’s iconic Pompeii performance, these screenings bring live music energy to Prague’s cinemas. Theatre performances also hit the

You can also experience world-class theater from the comfort of a cinema seat with Theatre in Cinema at Světozor. High-definition screenings from the National Theatre in London, the Royal Shakespeare Company, and more bring Hamlet, Vanya, and The Importance of Being Earnest to Prague’s big screens.

For a more family-friendly offering, Mary Poppins graces the Ponrepo Cinema on April 26, 2025. The 1964 musical, starring Julie Andrews in the titular role. Films by John Boorman, James Ivory, Brian De Palma and other directorial greats round out the spring offerings.