In February 2024, in the vibrant city of Budapest, the first residency of the Entrepreneurial Skills for Young Artists project, part of the Erasmus Plus program, took place. The project is organized by the Cosmic House Foundation and Ab Ovo Közművelődési Egyesület, and generously hosted by the Fiatal Képzőművészek Stúdiója Egyesület.
Discoveries and Connections in the World of Contemporary Art
The first three days of the residency were dedicated to exploration and discovery. At the FKSE gallery, the 27 artists selected for the project had the opportunity to get to know each other and share their diverse artistic visions and styles. The creative atmosphere was amplified by visits to the Hungarian capital’s creative quarter, Art Quarter Budapest. Here, participants were welcomed in the studios of outstanding local artists such as Mátrai Erik, Tamás Melkovics and Gabor Kristof, who shared their ideas and artistic practices.
The following days were marked by a visit to the University of Fine Arts in Budapest. Here, artists were warmly welcomed and had the opportunity to explore the graphic, painting, restoration, anatomy and design studios. The visit also included an exploration of the old Kunsthalle as well as the new exhibition spaces, giving participants a broad perspective of the educational and artistic environment in Budapest.
“Samtidighed” Exhibition: A Cultural Meeting Point
As part of the residency, the exhibition “Samtidighed”, an event curated by the artist Tudor Costin, took place. The exhibition showcased the work of 27 emerging artists, each bringing their contemporary thoughts and concerns to the public. The exhibited artists were: Elena Daniela Acatrinei, Friedrich Barnabás, Mihályi Bálint, Sabrina Dâscă, Anda Gherman, Viktória Geröly, Andreea Grigoraș, Fanni Herold, Villő Juhász, Laura Laviv, Daniél Lebeda, Eva Luca, Tamás Mezei, Dávid-Lehel Miholcsa, Ida-Anamaria Olteanu, Adina Oros, Péter Zoltán Öllinger, Ida Zsuzsanna Papp, Iulia Dana Pușcașu, Laura Schlemmer, Anouk-Irina Șerban, Zita Szabó, Imola Szilágyi, Maria-Elena Șofrac, Csilla Bartus, Daniella Grinberg and Péter Papp.
“Artists seek to capture the immediate, to understand the changing nature of contemporary time, place, media and mood. They visually transpose our feeling that these fundamental elements of existence become stranger and stranger every day”, emphasized curator Tudor Costin in the curatorial text.
The residency in Budapest was more than just an artistic encounter; it was a point of meeting and interaction between works and between artists, generating cultural and professional connections between them. The event created a space for international networking and communication between young creators, the cultural environment and the public, and offered emerging artists an essential platform for their promotion and development.
The project continues with the next residency scheduled for April 2024, in Cluj-Napoca, where selected artists from Hungary will have the opportunity to discover and collaborate with the Romanian artistic environment. This cultural exchange is an integral part of the Erasmus Plus project, number 2022-3-RO01-KA210-YOU-000094623, and reflects our commitment to support and develop young artists at European level. Entrepreneurial Skills for Young Artists is a cultural project co-funded by the European Union under the Erasmus+ program.
Thanks to all the partners and collaborators who made this artistic journey possible: BigBrother International, GeoStru Romania, FKSE – Fiatal Képzőművészek Stúdiója Egyesület, Ab Ovo Közművelődési Egyesület and Raiker. Special thanks also to: Csilla Bartus, Pál Zwickl, Boldizsár Toth and Anna Seress.
We close with gratitude to all those involved in this project and look forward to continuing this creative journey in Cluj-Napoca.
Photo Credit: Pixel Studios
