IF YOU GO...

Go in May, when Mikulov’s yearly design fest shines a spotlight on regional work

For centuries, the wine-producing town of Mikulov has made the most of its proximity to major cities such as Prague and Vienna to market its vintages widely. More recently, its advantageous location near the Austrian border has made it a showcase for another kind of creativity: contemporary design. Held over a long weekend every May, Křehký Mikulov, a festival highlighting the latest work from studios across Central Europe, is held in Mikulov Castle. It’s “a collector’s festival presenting young talents in the field of collective design,” says Jana Zielinski, co-founder of Prague’s Křehký Gallery, which hosts the event. Past participants have included such rising Mitteleuropean stars as Viennabased product and interiors studio Chmara Rosinke, Austrian potter Matthias Kaiser and Prague-based illustrator Michal Bačák, whose whimsical drawings have adorned arty porcelain dishware (pictured). Besides the show, the program includes designer seminars, social events and tours of Studio Piršč Porcelain, a top Czech porcelain maker. The 2018 festival will be held May 25 to 27. mikulov.cz, krehky.cz.