Editorial board
In 2002 the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak republic approved a project for the Centre of Folk Art Production to establish regional craft centres in Slovakia. The idea was to create regional centres for crafts in each of the three regions, a goal which was accomplished partially this year when ÚĽUV opened its first regional craft centre in central Slovakia in the city of Banska Bystrica. The celebrative opening took place on 26th May 2005 under the auspices of the first lady of the Slovak Republic, Ms. Silvia Gašparovičová. Apart from representatives of the city of Banska Bystrica, Ministry of Culture of SR and other cultural institutions, guests from the Finnish organization for crafts Taito with which ÚĽUV has been cooperating for more than a decade also participated. The regional craft centre started its activities in a newly reconstructed burger’s house in the centre of the town. In a two-story building also featuring a cellar and attic visitors can investigate the craft workshops of the School of Crafts (textile, tinker trade, pottery, wood carving and basket weaving), folk art products gift shop and a gallery. The cellar space entered from the back will be used as a gallery to introduce new creative personalities in the central Slovakia region. Vaulted ceilings, a variety of protrusions, irregularities of the ground and walls, remains of a side staircase leading to a former wine cellar are themselves strange and challenge the creation of similarly unusual objects. In the folk craft shop, visitors can buy gifts and works of folk artists as well as specialist literature and tools for craftsmen. The centre is also designed as a contact point for craftsmen interested in specialist advisory services. At the end of the year an internet connection to the specialist web page virtual gallery of folk art production will be available offering information about many aspects and points of interest about traditional crafts in Slovakia. The opening of the centre of crafts in the Eastern Slovakia region is planned for 2008 after complete reconstruction of the building in Košice.