In 2015, Veronika Holcová, a Czech artist, supported by her husband Mr. Pavel Hrnčíř, the newly appointed Czech ambassador for Canada, came up with an unusual idea: to create a professional, not-for-profit Gallery of contemporary art at the premises of the Czech Embassy in Ottawa. Gallery17/18 was born. These were the years in which, both Canada and the Czech Republic commemorated important anniversaries; 150 years since Canadian Confederation and 100 years since the creation of the independent state of Czechoslovakia. Throughout the next three years, under the curatorship of Veronika Holcová, Gallery17/18 became a significant venue for contemporary Czech and Canadian artists to showcase their work. Mrs. Holcová’s concept for the gallery was ambitious. She aimed to build a cultural hub; an international art centre, where artists thrive, people meet and ideas are exchanged. Now, in 2019, we are proud to report that the gallery was an absolute success. It featured 15 Czech and 14 Canadian artists in 13 exhibits. It organized art talks and special events. It attracted an ongoing sponsorship from the Ottawa Art Gallery and collaborative support from institutions such as AXENÉO7. Gallery17/18 also initiated a brand new partnership between Darling Foundry, based in Montreal and FuturaProject in Prague. Curators from top Canadian institutions such as the National Gallery of Canada became frequent visitors of the Gallery and art lovers from other cities made travel arrangements to attend our exhibits.