The project training course was held in Kecskemét (Hungary)
Cerasmus+ Project for Innovation in the Ceramic Sector
The project training course was held in Kecskemét (Hungary)
7-11 January 2019 (Kecskemét, Hungary) – The training course of the project was held in the facilities of the International Ceramic Studio (http://www.muveszetimuhelyek.org/), a ceramic art centre created in Kecskemét on the initiative of Hungarian artists who had felt culturally and ideologically isolated. The mission of the studio is to promote the formal, aesthetic and technical development of ceramics and to help foster creative skills.
Co-funded by the European program Erasmus+, the Cerasmus+ project aims to protect the European traditional heritage, to modernize the ceramic sector and to develop vocational training in ceramic craft industry enhancing work based learning models.
During the training in Hungary, professional of the ceramic sector discussed the training needs on the topics of Tradition and Innovation; Urban environment and Business start ups.
During the three days of work, the ceramics teachers and professionals hosted in the International Ceramic Studio learnt the history of the center thanks to a presentation of Steve Mattison (director of the studio).
It was the wish for freedom and the desire to work alongside international artists that led to the founding of the centre by János Probstner, who was its director until 2011.
The studio is open to all challenges of ceramic research, design and experiment. With this in mind the ICS offers modern facilities and kilns, ample studio space and technical support. Our facilities give artists an excellent opportunity to concentrate on their work in a creative and mutually supportive environment where new and imaginative ideas can be explored and realised.
The studio offers a residency program for artists who wish to work on their independently in the studios on their own projects. Parallel to this program we organise a thematic program which offers workshops, symposia, courses, talks and seminars. Between 1978 – 2011 the ICS was maintained by the local council of Bacs Kiskun County, which was famous for supporting culture.
This introduction was followed by the visit to the the Kalman Kando Art Secondary School and the presentations of ceramic designers working with factories, with a focus on innovation:
- Ceramic designer Erika Suto – http://ceramicsbysuto.com/en/index.php
- Ceramic designer Agnes Hegedus – http://agneshegedus.com
- Ceramic designer Boldizsar Zsuzsa – https://boldizsarzsuzsa.hu
- Ceramic designer Monori Anita – https://www.hungarycraft.com/product-tag/monori-anita/
- Ceramic designer and university teacher Lubloy Zoltan – http://www.lubloy.hu
- Ceramic designer Szabo Adam – http://www.acsszabo.com/
The ICS organized two demonstrations from the ceramic artists Tünde Ruzicska (http://www.tunderuzicska.hu/) and Gabriella Kuzsel, reflecting on tradition and techniques of textured slip, small scale production and woodfiring.
- Tradition and Innovation: aimed at improving the ceramic craft sector value chain with reference to production techniques which keep together tradition and innovation (i.e. 3D printing, Photoshop for industrial tiles lines);
- Urban Environment: aimed at improving the valorisation of urban environment through ceramics craft with reference to methodologies for enhance networking between VET and ceramic craft industry;
- Business start-ups: aimed at improving the support for ceramics craft business start-ups with reference to the protection of the EU traditional heritage, and of the strengthening and modernization of the ceramic sector value.
The next step of the project is the development of the described curricula, which will be available for the stakeholders and the public later in 2019.