Opening of the new premises on Čevljarska Street in Koper

date: 20.02.2024

category: News

Koper has acquired a new space in which to develop the artistic and design outlooks and paths of the students of the Visual Arts and Design study programme at the UP Faculty of Education.

In the centre of Čevljarska Street, the place known to locals as Poster in Elektron has been transformed into a creative hub for students of the art programme developed by the UP Faculty of Education in Koper from 2021. It is a place where artists will develop their talents and creativity will take on new dimensions in the future.

The municipality is also aware of this and has dedicated the space to future artists and educators in order to increase the vibrancy of the city centre, summarised the Mayor of Koper, Aleš Bržan, in his speech on the importance of culture and art in the city.

Prof. Dr. Klavdija Kutnar, Rector of the UP, continued her speeches of thanks to the Municipality of Koper: "Many thanks to the Municipality of Koper, which has recognised the importance of the University of Primorska in the city. These premises are an example of good practice of our integration. We will make sure that there will be a lot of artistic spirit on Čevljarska Street."

With the renovation and handover of the premises called BANKART-3, the University of Primorska (UP) is achieving one of the objectives of the UP Investment Plan 2023-2030, which planned the renovation and creation of an additional 300 m2 to meet the needs of both the study of art and the development of artistic activities at the university.

"The artistic study programmes at our university are not only an enrichment of the study offer, nor are they only an important asset for the city of Koper and the coast in general in terms of new cultural offer. They are more than that: they encourage the creation of a new world, new horizons of being. The fact that we are opening them at the UP Faculty of Education, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, is a testimony to another important mission of the Faculty - that it is also important to give the environment a proper visual literacy, so that the role of art in human life can shine in its full sense," said Prof. Dr. Mara Cotič, Dean of the Faculty of Education.

In the new premises there will be workshops, a computer room and a central project space, while the gallery, the painting studio and the printmaking studio will form the whole. They will relieve the space constraints of three generations studying on the art programme. On this occasion, the Head of the Department of Art, mag. Vid Lenard: "Our energy is now focused on completing the equipment and computers, moving in peacefully and making the new spaces come to life in all their creative and production power as soon as possible."