Operation of cultural facilities and organising cultural and entertainment events

A free trade (field no. 73) covering the operation of cultural, cultural-educational and entertainment facilities (theatres, cinemas, concert halls, galleries, museums, libraries) and the organising of cultural productions, entertainments, exhibitions, trade fairs, shows and sales events. It does not require professional qualification; the general conditions under Section 6 of the Trade Licensing Act are enough, and the licence arises on the very day of notification (Section 10(1)(a) of Act No. 455/1991 Coll.).

Conditions for operating

Full legal capacity under Section 6(1)(a) of the Trade Licensing Act (usually reaching the age of 18; may be replaced by a court's approval of a legal representative's consent for a minor to independently carry on business activity).
Clean criminal record / integrity under Section 6(1)(b) and Section 6(2) of the Trade Licensing Act (a person finally convicted of an intentional criminal offence committed in connection with business or with the subject of business is not regarded as having a clean record; it is proven by an extract from the records of the Criminal Records Register, which the office obtains itself).
Professional qualification is NOT documented - this is a free trade under Annex No. 4 to the Act, for which the special conditions under Section 7 (education, practice, qualification) are not required. You do not submit any diploma, certificate or proof of practice.
Absence of obstacles to operating a trade under Section 8 of the Trade Licensing Act (e.g. a court-imposed ban on activity relating to the field, or the statutory consequences of insolvency).
A responsible representative (Section 11) is usually not needed here, because no qualification is proven; one may be appointed voluntarily, or compulsorily where a foreign person is doing business under the conditions laid down by law. One person may hold the office of responsible representative for no more than 4 entrepreneurs.
For foreigners from third countries a residence permit authorising them to do business is additionally documented; a clean criminal record is proven under Section 6(3) in conjunction with Section 46 also by an extract from the criminal records of their home state.
The trade licence arises on the day of notification (Section 10(1)(a) of the Trade Licensing Act), provided the statutory conditions are met.

Examples of activities

organising concerts, festivals and music productions
organising exhibitions, trade fairs and shows
operating a gallery, exhibition hall or concert hall
organising theatre performances and film screenings
organising balls, dances and discos
operating a cultural centre, club or variety theatre
arranging the sale of tickets and the organisational servicing of an event
operating a computer gaming arcade, bowling alley or minigolf

What this trade is and what it is for

The trade "Operation of cultural, cultural-educational and entertainment facilities, organising cultural productions, entertainments, exhibitions, trade fairs, shows, sales and similar events" is field of activity no. 73 within the single free trade "Production, trade and services not listed in Annexes 1 to 3 of the Trade Licensing Act" (Annex No. 4 to Act No. 455/1991 Coll.). It covers business in the area of culture, entertainment and organising events for the public.

This field covers both the operation of facilities (theatres, cinemas, concert halls, galleries, museums, libraries, cultural centres, clubs) and organisational and production activity - that is, the preparation and realisation of concerts, festivals, balls, trade fairs or sales exhibitions. It also includes the operation of circuses, variety theatres, fairground attractions, minigolf, bowling and computer gaming arcades. As a free trade it does not require any professional qualification; it is enough to meet the general conditions under Section 6 and to notify the field.

What falls under this trade (and what does not)

According to the content scope of the field (Government Regulation No. 278/2008 Coll.), this includes in particular:

operating theatres, concert halls, cinemas and audio-visual performances,
operating museums, galleries, botanical gardens and libraries,
organising theatre performances, concerts, film screenings and variety productions,
organising dances and discos, the activity of compères and disc jockeys,
operating circuses, variety theatres, fairground attractions, minigolf, bowling and computer gaming arcades,
organising exhibitions, trade fairs, sales and similar events.

Where the boundaries lie (what does not belong to the field). The content scope expressly excludes:

Operating bars and refreshments in connection with these facilities - the serving and sale of food and drinks falls under the craft trade "Hospitality activity" (Annex No. 1 to the Act), which must be notified separately and for which professional qualification must be documented. Field no. 73 includes only the operation of the necessary amenities (cloakrooms, toilets, parking).
Organising lotteries and other similar games and operating gaming (slot) machines - games of chance are governed by the special Act No. 186/2016 Coll., on games of chance, and are subject to authorisation, not to a free-trade notification. Beware of the distinction: a non-betting computer/entertainment arcade belongs to field no. 73, but an arcade with slot machines or games of chance does not.
The activity of performing artists in the sense of the rendering of an artistic performance (actor, musician, dancer) - this is the exercise of rights to intellectual activity outside the Trade Licensing Act, not this trade. Likewise, animal training does not belong here.
Organising auctions, operating facilities established under other legal regulations (e.g. municipal museums, theatres and libraries established under special acts), and the production and printing of advertising materials.

Always assess the predominant content of the activity; in borderline cases we recommend an enquiry to the Trade Licensing Office.

Conditions for obtaining it under the law

Because this is a free trade (Annex No. 4 to the Trade Licensing Act), professional qualification is not documented - you do not need any education or practice in the field, and the special conditions under Section 7 are not required. It is enough to meet the general conditions for operating a trade under Section 6 of the Trade Licensing Act:

full legal capacity (Section 6(1)(a)) - usually reaching the age of 18; may be replaced by a court's approval of a legal representative's consent for a minor,
clean criminal record / integrity (Section 6(1)(b) and Section 6(2)) - the office verifies the clean criminal record itself from the records of the Criminal Records Register.

In addition, there must be no obstacle to operating a trade under Section 8 of the Trade Licensing Act (e.g. a ban on activity relating to the field imposed by a court or administrative authority, or the statutory consequences of insolvency).

For a notifiable trade the trade licence arises on the day of notification (Section 10(1)(a) of the Trade Licensing Act), not only upon issuance of the extract. You usually do not need a responsible representative under Section 11 here, because no qualification is proven; you may, however, appoint one voluntarily, or compulsorily where a foreign person is doing business under the conditions laid down by law. One person may hold the office of responsible representative for no more than 4 entrepreneurs.

How to notify the trade step by step

Complete the Unified Registration Form (URF). With a single form you notify the trade and may at the same time register for income tax at the tax office, for social security at the CSSA and with a health insurer.
File the notification. In person at any municipal Trade Licensing Office, online via the rzp.gov.cz portal, or through a Czech POINT contact point. Local jurisdiction is not restricted.
Prove your identity and pay the administrative fee. In the free-trade notification you state the specific fields of activity you will carry out (Section 45(4)). Foreign nationals and persons without permanent residence in the Czech Republic may submit further documents under Section 46.
Wait for registration. The office enters the trade in the Trade Register within 5 working days of delivery of the notification and issues an extract.

You can also notify further fields of the free trade straight away - within a single notification and for a single fee. You can find the detailed procedure in the guide How to set up a trade step by step.

Documents and fees

Administrative fee for the trade notification: CZK 1,000, and CZK 800 when filed electronically via rzp.gov.cz.
Adding a further field to an existing free trade: free of charge (CZK 0).
Proof of identity (identity card / passport); foreigners from third countries also document a residence permit.
If applicable, a document on the legal grounds for using the registered seat, where requested by the office.
Neither a clean criminal record nor professional qualification is documented - the office verifies the clean criminal record itself, and qualification is not required for a free trade.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need any education to organise concerts or balls?

No. This is a free trade; qualification is not proven. The general conditions under Section 6 (legal capacity and a clean criminal record) and a notification are enough.

How much will I pay for the notification?

The administrative fee is CZK 1,000, and CZK 800 for an electronic notification via rzp.gov.cz. Adding a further field of the free trade to an existing trade is free of charge.

How soon can I start doing business?

The licence arises already on the day of notification (Section 10(1)(a)). The office enters the trade in the Trade Register within 5 working days.

Can I have more fields under one licence?

Yes. The free trade has 80 fields and you can notify several of them at once under a single licence and for a single fee.

Do I need another licence for an event where food and drink are sold?

Yes. The serving and sale of food and drinks (operating bars and refreshments) is not part of this field - it falls under the craft trade "Hospitality activity", which must be notified separately and for which professional qualification must be documented.

Can I operate an arcade with slot machines within this field?

It depends on the type of arcade. A non-betting computer (entertainment) arcade belongs to field no. 73. Games of chance - lotteries, other similar games and gaming slot machines - are, however, not part of this trade; they are governed by Act No. 186/2016 Coll., on games of chance, and require a special authorisation, not a free-trade notification.