"Usually, we would walk there in the mountains between Saxony and Bohemia. We imagined that we were traversing the Pyrenees between France and Spain, or even the Himalayas between Tibet and India. There we had towns and villages, mountains and valleys, fields and meadows, rivers and streams, sunshine and rain, in short, everything our hearts desired. We could not ask for more, nor find it in any other region."
Karl May, 1897
Try Walking in May Shoes
International art project inspired by the imagination of Karl May
Official part of
Imagine if Karl May, the creator of Winnetou and Old Shatterhand, had been born in modern British Columbia instead of in Ernstthal, Germany. How would the stories and news from the Ore Mountains on the Czech-German border inspire him?
How would he weave the communist past of both countries, post-war heroes or current events into his works? Join us on a playful journey full of imagination and the creation of new heroes and stories. Along the way, explore the space between cultural appropriation and admiration and other challenges of the contemporary world.
In short, try walking in May shoes.
May it Happen
You May Learn More
Mar / 2025
You May Dream in Vernon
Mar / 2025
Hermann Krauße Photography Exhibition Extended Until April 13!
Feb / 2025
Andreas Barth – Karl May: Unwanted at Home
Nov / 2024
Pozvánka na přednášku Jiřího Kopici: May a Chomutov
Jul / 2024
Localism Fuels BC’s Cultural Strength
Jul / 2024
Why are Germany, Canada, and the Czech Republic part of this project?
You May
We are looking for creators from British Columbia, Saxony and the CzechiaWrite
We are looking for your stories from Saxony and Czechia. In 2025, these will be the basis for writers, poets and storytellers from British Columbia as they create their vision of the Czech-German border region in the style of Karl May.
Design
Fashion, patchwork, web and print design - we will need to be consistent when creating a May-like image created by artists based in Canada. This is a job for you, who will help complete the world of the new heroes with their look, clothing and what surrounds them.
Compose
Of course, creating new worlds, heroes and stories cannot be done without music and sounds. This is a creative opportunity for you composers, arrangers and musicians.
Paint
And also draw, create linocuts, sketches, collages, embroidery - you name it.
Sculpt
Your sculptures, objects, upcycling will become part of the final exhibition and maybe even a backdrop in a film and a theatrical train show.
Dance
Dance, be actors and be part of different forms of interpretation of new stories.
2024 - 2025
Czechia and Saxony2025/ 3 - 8
BC, Salmon Arm, Enderby, Prince George, Port Alberni2025/ 9 - 12
Czechia and Saxony, Chemnitz, Hohenstein-Ernsthall, ChomutovMay You Join Our Team
Calvin White
Mental health counselor, writer, and poet. He has also performed on the stage in Fringe Festivals in Salmon Arm and Vancouver B.C. His latest poetry book, FACING THE SWEATING HORSE came out from NowOrNever Press of Vancouver in 2022. He has had over 130 essays in all of Canada's major newspapers.
Ziyba Ibragimova
Originally from Karakalpakstan, a semi-autonomous region of Uzbekistan. Now a Canadian citizen, Ziyba has an MEd in Leadership and Administration and works as a women's group leader and mental health counselor in Vernon, B.C. She is also an emerging film-maker, and her short documentary, WHO WE ARE, won in the category of short documentaries at the 2024 Canadian Independent Film Festival in Montreal.
Stephen Lytton
An actor with Weaving Reconciliation: Our Way, is a long-time DTES resident, actor, writer, community activist and residential school survivor from the Nlaka'pamux First Nation, Lytton BC. Stephen has also been honoured with the Governor General's Caring Canadian Award.
Erich Homilius
Chairman of the Silberbüchse e. V. association and former long-serving mayor of Hohenstein-Ernstthal, the birthplace of Karl May. In addition to efforts to preserve the legacy of the famous writer, Erich enjoys traveling not only to places linked to May's imagination. It’s no surprise he has a passion for motorcycle racing – he comes from the home of the famous Sachsenring circuit.
Andreas Barth
Expert on the works of Karl May, especially his stories set in the Ore Mountains. A driving force in community life, an experienced event organizer, and an English teacher. Knows quite a lot about the UK, having undertaken several major trips there. Will gladly treat you to a fine cup of Yorkshire tea.
Tereza Zemanova
A graduated fine artist, coordinator of the local Memory of the Nation program focused on collecting stories from the turbulent history of the Northwest Bohemia region. Theatre actress with experience in film production. She is part of all the creative activities of the project and is responsible for the preparation of an educational product that will be one of the project longterm outputs.
Josef Märc
University and high school teacher and specialist in innovative methods of teaching history. He popularizes the local history of the Czech-German border region and for the project, together with students, he collects stories that will inspire Canadian artists. He is also a poet, an expert in film history, and as a theatre artist he will be involved in the creation of the final project deliverables.
Tereza Koranda Dvorakova
Social scientist by education, entrepreneur in the preparation of analyses and strategies for central and local authorities. She has researched the situation of marginalised Roma in the Czech Republic, prepared strategies for housing development, inclusion and has recently specialised in territorial cohesion and the development of cultural and creative industries. She runs an independent gallery. She is co-author and project manager.
Mirek Koranda
Together with Tereza, he is a co-author and manager of the project. A trained theatre producer and the author of dozens of short videos, he also creates and manages the pre-election campaigns of good politicians, with whom he collaborates on the social, economic, and cultural development of the industrial northwest of the Czech Republic. In the project, he is also responsible for preparing a film.You May Contact Us
We'll answer your questions about the project and we'd love to hear from you if you'd like to get involved. Perhaps with a story from the Saxon-Czech border region or as creators of new stories in the spirit of Karl May's imagination. By submitting the form, you will be subscribed to the project newsletter.Donors and partners
We are proud that the preparation of our project was financially supported by the European City of Culture Chemnitz 2025 and by the subsidy programme of the Ústí nad Labem Region.
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