The idea for the student art exhibition started in the NEOLAiA Student Advisory Group and quickly spread to all alliance universities, including the University of Jaén (Spain), the University of Tours (France), and Bielefeld University (Germany). The aim of the exhibition was to engage students more actively in the life of the alliance and to offer them a space to express how they experience studying and student life in their city.

There was no limit on what shape or form the artworks should take, which resulted in a plethora of diverse art submissions. Drawings and paintings were showcased alongside digital works; the exhibition also featured a music-accompanied video and literary submissions, including poetry. Selecting the three awarded pieces was therefore a challenging task, with the decision based primarily on originality and on how effectively the authors captured their relationship to the university and the city.
The event was opened with a warm welcome speech by Natália Tomčíková and Linda Šubertová, members of the Student Advisory Group at the University of Ostrava, who organized the event in close collaboration with the Centre for International Cooperation and with the kind support of the Vice-Rector for Research and Artistic Activities. Both expressed appreciation to all of the participants and announced the competition winners: 1. Kateřina Balcarová (Faculty of Education), 2. Karolína Buchtová (Faculty of Arts) and 3. Veronika Hanáčková (Faculty of Medicine). The winning artists received prizes including NEOLAiA merchandise as well as a speaker, headphones, and a Polaroid camera. The event continued with refreshments and a toast dedicated to all the participants who contributed their work.

After the formal part of the programme, guests had the opportunity to explore both submitted artworks and pieces created during the previous NEOLAiA Art & Discussion meetup. The space quickly filled with conversation as students, staff, and other visitors admired the showcased pieces while enjoying the refreshments that were provided.

If you wish to see the exhibition yourself, it remains open until March 7 at the Faculty of Social Studies of the University of Ostrava. After that, it will move to the Faculty of Education in the City Campus, where it will become part of the NEOLAiA Festival programme. The festival takes place on March 9 from 14:30 to 17:00, and all of you are warmly welcome to join us there. Moreover, preparations are already underway for the next stage of the NEOLAiA Art Exhibition: in May 2026, a larger alliance-wide exhibition will take place, showcasing the winning works from across the participating universities.

Would you like to take part in similar activities with us? You can become a member of the NEOLAiA Student Network too: join us! By getting involved, you will have the opportunity to co-create future events, contribute your own ideas, and take part in projects that connect students across the alliance’s universities.