At the Telegraph, we value our members and want membership to be not only a free ticket to the gallery, but also an opportunity to become part of a creative community. That's why we've launched a brand new feature in January 2025. A programme that offered exclusive workshops, creative afternoons and film screenings throughout the year. So what happened in 2025?
Some programmes were exclusive to Telegraph Club members, others worked as a member benefit for regular public events. In addition to discounts to Pulse, special workshops, screenings and lectures, members enjoyed small benefits that made more than one visit during the year. For example, a packet of goodies with cinema, free admission to the first RooftopFun of 2025 (including a free welcome drink at future Rooftops), member benefits at TEFF and a screening of Echt by Jan Merta with discussion.
The first exclusive members-only program was held in February. Creative Workshop with Slovak artist Rita Koszorú, whose work explores themes of identity and the search for home in an abstract form, working with painting on canvas and creating collages from layered materials. The structure of the workshop was built on the principles of her work. It was not about a perfect result, but about testing, layering, combining and discovering her own style. Under her guidance, participants created their own abstract collage and took away the experience of experimenting, layering and combining materials.
In early March, a guided tour of the then Signal IV: The Eighties with Telegraph founder and art collector Robert Runták. He not only described the works on display from the 1980s and introduced this generation of artists, but also outlined the overall concept of his private collection. The tour was thus not only about the individual works that were exhibited, but also about how themes and formal approaches changed in the 1980s, what was typical for the era and why some works still leave a strong impression on us today. In addition to the works and their historical context, there were also personal observations on collecting. Space was also given to the participants and their questions on collecting, the origins of the collection and the wider context of its building.
This year we also included a film. Members had the opportunity to view the April preview of the documentary GOOD BOY from Slovakia, which follows Slovak painter Andrej Dúbravsky during his exhibition at the Telegraph Gallery entitled Good Boy. The picture recalls the controversy caused by his painting of two men kissing, which was critically reacted to by the Slovak Minister of Culture. The film traces the events to the ensuing public debate about freedom of artistic expression and the status of the LGBT community in Slovakia. In this context, the exhibition Good Boy also became Dúbravský's response to the events. The screening was followed by a discussion with director Michael Bukovanský, producer Erika Kovačičová and the artist Andrej Dúbravský himself, where participants had the opportunity to ask questions about the making of the film and the artist's motivations. The documentary is now available online on our website, including a version with English subtitles.
The membership program also included a series of culinary courses. With the start of the summer season, we delighted members with a fun drink mixing course where you could try your hand at making alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks under the guidance of Tereza Janosova, Lubomir Balaz and Silvia Beranova from Telegraph Pulse. From working with ingredients to mixing, layering and serving techniques. It included hands-on preparation of three types of drinks and a subsequent tasting session where you could enjoy your own combinations right away.
In July, we held a family workshop for children and adults to accompany the Lucie Tallová exhibition entitled I Wish I Were Made of Stone. The programme was dedicated to collage and assemblage, i.e. putting together image fragments and small materials into new units and working with layers and structure. Tallová's work combines painting with objects, collage, photography and installation, and returns to themes of memory and archive. To what things carry that have been used, hidden or forgotten. She works with found remnants such as old photographs, textiles or small objects, giving them new meaning. Her work served as the initial inspiration for this program. Participants tried their hand at piecing together their own images from the pieces, and at the end, everyone took away their finished creation and a bit of surprise at what can be pieced together from the various fragments.
In August, we arranged an intimate screening of Duchon for members at the Telegraph Cinema. Director Peter Bebjak's biographical musical drama revisits the story of Karl Duchon and the time when he was one of pop's most distinctive voices. The narrative frames the New Year's Eve shootings in 1984, piecing together his path to fame and what came with it in quick flashbacks.
In late September, Latte Art Course followed with baristas Silvia Beranova and Teresa Janosova. Apart from the actual drawing into the milk foam, you went through what precedes a good cup. The differences between Italian and specialty coffee, the principles of production and extraction, as well as the basic orientation in arabica or robusta, and finally came the technique of whipping milk and the final latte art.
The last creative afternoon of 2025 took place in October. It was in collaboration with Slovakian artist Samuel Kolarik, then artist in residence at the Telegraph. He has been painting, drawing and printmaking since high school. Male identity has been at the center of his long-term interest. Its roles, expectations, traditions, and the ways in which it translates into images. The practical part of the workshop itself focused on drawing, working with pastels and experimenting with colour. To begin, Samuel presented various reproductions of pastel drawings, which were used by the participants to dissect and inspire further work.
In November, we added Course of preparation of ceremonial matcha, again under the wings of Silvia Beranová and Tereza Janosová, where you learned about its context in Japanese culture, understood what makes ceremonial matcha specific, and most importantly, practically tried the correct whisking and preparation of the drink from the Too Matcha menu.
We closed out the year in December with a screening of Cockroaches at the Telegraph Cinema. This was again a members' evening in a more intimate format, but this time with the option of bringing a guest. This allowed members to share a screening of a darkly grotesque indie comedy with someone they wanted to introduce the Telegraph to. 
After parties were also popular moments for our TLG CLB members, and they are inherent to every opening and opening night. For some, a nice end to the evening, for others a chance to stay at the Telegraph a little longer, meet other members and discuss impressions of the exhibition in an informal atmosphere.
There were more than ten exclusive events for members in 2025. We tried our best to make each workshop, film or course creative and educational. And if anyone in your area is still on the fence about joining the Telegraph Club, they might be convinced by the experiences and inspiration that await our members.
Thank you for your patronage and we look forward to seeing you again in 2026!
