Karlovarskydenik.cz published an article about an exhibition of paintings by children from children’s homes, which took place at the Varyáda shopping centre.
Ordinary moments with extraordinary significance. Throughout July, the Karlovy Vary shopping centre is hosting a unique travelling exhibition entitled ‘What I See’. This project by the SPOLUŽIVOT Endowment Fund presents authentic accounts from children in children’s homes, who, using disposable cameras, have captured moments of happiness, security and closeness experienced whilst in foster care.
A hamster in the palm of your hand, food on a plate or a flower in bloom. For most people, these are ordinary, everyday occurrences; for children in children’s homes, they are precious moments that remain etched in their memories. The exhibition, which was officially opened on 8 July, showcases the work of eight young artists aged between six and seventeen. They were given complete freedom to choose what they wanted to show the world. The final layout of the display panels was put together by photographer and curator František Ortmann, who selected the most powerful moments from the children’s photographs and supplemented them with real-life stories from care homes.
Foster care provides children with a foundation for life
The main theme of the exhibition is to highlight the benefits of foster care. This involves a specific adult devoting their time and attention to a child and welcoming them into a normal family environment. Experts in the field also confirm that this is a key element of support.
“The public often has only a limited understanding of children growing up in institutional care – their real world remains hidden behind myths and misunderstandings. This exhibition, however, shows what it is really like – full of ordinary joys, hopes and emotions. It is precisely such projects that help the public to better understand what children need and why foster care is such an important part of supporting children growing up outside their own families,” said Dana Křivková, a guide on the path to foster care, who attended the opening alongside representatives from the Social and Legal Protection of Children Department of the Karlovy Vary Regional Authority.
The exhibition also aims to dispel public concerns that foster care is too demanding. The whole event forms part of a wider awareness campaign called ‘Even a Little Can Make a Difference’. The campaign highlights that it is precisely these seemingly ordinary moments that are most valuable to these children, and that almost anyone can become a foster carer.
“For us adults, it may only be a few hours a week, but for these children it means the world – they gain a close friend outside the children’s home environment. Such a relationship is vital for their future independent lives. That is precisely why I set up the SPOLUŽIVOT Endowment Fund – so that as many children as possible have someone to lean on,” added the fund’s founder, Tereza Šindlerová.
Help that makes a difference
The exhibition, supported by the ČEZ Foundation and FotoŠkoda, will be on display at the Varyáda in Karlovy Vary until 31 July 2026. For visitors, it is a unique opportunity to gain an insight into the inner world of children who have not been so fortunate in life, yet still manage to see beauty in the details.
The organiser is the SPOLUŽIVOT Endowment Fund. It was established in 2024 and its main mission is to connect children from care homes with those interested in foster care and to help them build strong, long-term bonds.
Read the full article at Karlovarskydenik.cz