The European Union within the Erasmus+ programme supported short-term mobility of ÚĽUV lecturers
CRAFTMOVE is the name of the project – namely three short-term mobilities in the adult education sector (KA122-ADU), in this case three lecturers from ÚĽUV, which we are carrying out in cooperation with foreign partners for the next few months until 30 November 2025.
The outcomes of the mobility will be an integral part of the educational process at ÚĽUV. Methodological sheets together with prototypes of products, a sampler of shapes and motifs, are the basic element for the preparation of new courses.
Erika Rudíková, Zuzana Bakičová, and Miloš Gregor will gradually travel to various European countries to gain new professional competencies in their craft fields.
Erika Rudíková is an advanced basket maker who attends masterclasses abroad. Throughout the year, she leads several basketry courses in Slovakia. She has a stable group of participants at the ÚĽUV Regional Craft Centre in Košice, with whom she could also carry out a follow-up course in openwork weaving techniques.
Zuzana Bakičová is an accredited instructor for the educational program Weaving – Loom Weaving module. She leads loom-weaving courses at the ÚĽUV Regional Craft Centre in Banská Bystrica, where she teaches participants professional knowledge and skills in weaving—from material preparation to finishing work.
For Zuzana, weaving is not just a technique but a way to understand materials such as wool, linen, cotton, or silk. Every color, pattern, and technique carries a message from the past while opening the door to new artistic challenges. Under her hands, traditional techniques come to life—plain weave, rib weave, twill, “činovať,” or brocading—as well as original designs that blend folklore with modern aesthetics. Woven folk shawls, unique clothing pieces—from sweaters and dresses to aprons or traditional costume components—all bear the signature of honest craftsmanship and a sense of detail. She finds inspiration in traditional Slovak costumes, nature, emotions, and contemporary artistic trends.
Miloš Gregor is an instructor for the educational program focused on natural weaving materials. He leads courses in straw craft, where he teaches participants professional knowledge and skills—from processing and preparing the material to weaving straw ornaments and creating decorations from pressed straw. He has been working with straw and making straw ornaments since 2007. He began as a self-taught artisan and later learned additional patterns and techniques from Masters of Folk Art Production Pavol Gregor and Pavol Lednár.
The outcomes of the mobilities will form an integral part of the educational process at ÚĽUV. Methodological sheets together with product prototypes, shape samples, and motif collections are key elements in preparing new courses. Participants of the ÚĽUV School of Crafts can look forward to a new basketry course using openwork weaving techniques and a weaving course with new techniques in the 2025/2026 school year. The knowledge gained in the field of straw craft will be shared with the general public and supporters of traditional crafts through a creative workshop offered during the same period.
“Financed by the European Union. The expressed views and opinions are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the European Union or SAAIC. Neither the European Union nor SAAIC is responsible for them.”