Members of the Government

8. 11. 202115:31

Martin Baxa

Minister of Culture

Martin Baxa was born in Plzeň, where he studied at the humanities branch of the grammar school on Mikulášské náměstí. He obtained his university degree at Masaryk University in Brno, where he graduated with an interfaculty degree in teaching history and geography for secondary schools (history at the Faculty of Arts and geography at the Faculty of Science). His diploma thesis was on the topic of “Politics of the Czech Catholic Parties in Moravia during the First World War (1914–1918)“. After completing his studies he began working as a history and geography teacher at the grammar school on Mikulášské náměstí in Plzeň. He always continued to work at least part time at the school until he was elected as a member of parliament.

He is a member of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS), which he joined in 1999. He successfully ran as a candidate in the local elections in 2002, where he became a member of the Plzeň regional assembly. In 2004-2008 he served as councillor of the Plzeň Region for culture and heritage preservation. After the local elections in 2010 he was appointed as the youngest mayor in the history of the city of Plzeň. After the elections in 2014 he served as First Deputy Mayor of Plzeň for culture, tourism, heritage preservation and the project Pilsen – European Capital of Culture 2015. He has been a Member of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic since 2017 and has again served as Mayor of Plzeň since 2018. He has also been Deputy Leader of ODS since 2018. From 2019 to 2021 he was the coordinator of the ODS Education, Science, Culture and Sport program team and was responsible for the preparation of the electoral agenda in these areas.

Since 2013 he has chaired the management board of Plzeň 2015, o.p.s. (later Plzeň 2015, registered institute), and was in charge of the comprehensive project Pilsen – European Capital of Culture 2015 and for preserving its legacy in the years following the completion of the project. From 2005 to 2019 he worked on boards of Plzeňská filharmonie, o.p.s., as a member of the management board from 2005 to 2008 and as a member of the supervisory board from 2008 to 2019.

Martin Baxa is married. He speaks English. His interests include history, architecture, literature and the fine arts.

Personal Details

Mgr. Martin Baxa, born 16 September 1975

Education

1994–1999: Masaryk University, Inter-faculty degree in Teaching History and Geography for Secondary Schools (Faculty of Arts: History, Faculty of Science: Geography)
1990–1994: Grammar School, Plzeň, Mikulášské nám. 23

Career and Public Service

since 2018     Mayor of the City of Plzeň
since 2017     Member of Parliament of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic
2016–2018    Deputy Governor of the Plzeň Region for Culture and Heritage Preservation
2014–2018    First Deputy Mayor of the City of Plzeň for Culture, Tourism, Heritage Preservation and the project Pilsen - European Capital of Culture 2015
since 2013     Chairman of the Management Board of Plzeň 2015, o.p.s. (later Plzeň 2015, registered institute)
2010–2014    Mayor of the City of Plzeň
2008–2010    Chairman of the Committee on Education, Training and Employment Council of the Plzeň Region
2008–2019    Member of the Supervisory Board of Plzeňská filharmonie, o.p.s.
2005–2008    Member of the Management Board of Plzeňská filharmonie, o.p.s.
2004–2008    Member of the Plzeň Regional Council for Culture and Heritage Preservation
since 2004     Member of the Plzeň Regional Assembly
2002–2006    Member of the Plzeň City Assembly
1999–2017    Part-time History and Geography teacher at the Grammar School, Plzeň, Mikulášské nám. 23, from 2004 to 2017