Press Release
- CREATIVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN CERAMICS REGIONS - DEVELOPING, EDUCATING, ENCOURAGING (CerDee)
A European project that supports contemporary artists in ceramics
Ljubljana, 10 July 2019; Yesterday, a press conference was held at the National Museum of Slovenia on the occasion of the launch of a new European project, Creative Entrepreneurship in Ceramics Regions - Developing, Educating, Encouraging (CerDee). The project brings together the most important European regions with a centuries-old tradition of ceramics. During this time, they have developed unique knowledge in each region about the production, design, and embellishment of ceramic objects, which is also used by modern ceramics makers. Due to the rapidly changing market conditions, driven by the ever-increasing needs of buyers and the low-cost mass production of ceramics, it is becoming increasingly difficult for freelance creators and smaller companies to remain competitive. Therefore, the main objective of the project is to support self-employed creators and small businesses: to help develop entrepreneurial and creative skills, and increase competitiveness and economic performance.
The CerDee project will set up a Central European network of participants, bringing together the leading institutions in the field of ceramics, medium and small enterprises, individual regions, and a network of museums. The latter will be communication hubs; they will collect and store relevant information in connection with ceramics and act as an accessible archive and a marketing platform.
Wilhelm Siemen, the CerDee Project Manager and Director of the Porzellanikon Museum in Selb, Germany: “Eight partners from six countries are museums - Porzellanikon as the leading partner, National Museum of Slovenia, Ceramics Museum in Faenza, Italy, Ceramics Museum in Bolesławiec, Poland, and universities - Technical University of Ilmenau, Germany, University of Plzen, Czech Republic, and the New Design University in St. Pölten, Austria, and additionally the Kranj Institute for Tourism and Culture. Each of them has rich experience in implementing international projects. This will be a truly powerful joint project. In a period of three years, from 1 May 2019 to 30 April 2022, the total budget of the CerDee project will amount to EUR 2.23 million, and ERDF funding (European Regional Development Fund) will amount to EUR 1.82 million.”
The key objective of the CerDee project is the City of Ceramics website, which will act as a centre of knowledge and a meeting point for cooperation and marketing for participants in the field of ceramic design. An important part of the website is the database of ceramic objects from collections of the participating museums, typical motifs and archive documents. The National Museum of Slovenia plays a central role in its design, leading a group of experts from partner institutions. The database will be a storehouse of knowledge in the field of ceramics and will be accessible to all interested persons, free of charge on the City of ceramics website.
Dr Mateja Kos, National Museum of Slovenia: “The database will consist of three main sections. The first section will include digitised ceramic objects and ceramic motifs from the museum collections of the participating partners. The pieces will be digitised, not only with the help of high-resolution photos, but also with the help of a 3D scanner, which will allow us to produce 3D models of museum objects. Each entry will be equipped with basic information about the object, with an indication of the museum that stores it, thus increasing the visibility of the Slovenian tradition of ceramics design and disseminating knowledge about its meaning. The second section will consist of important archive documents and catalogues, books, and brochures from the field of ceramics. Most of these will also be digitised for the first time. The third section of the database will include short videos covering different topics in the field of ceramics design.”
The goal of all regions involved in the CerDee project is to preserve, promote, and strengthen the creative potential of cultural heritage for modern ceramics design, in a way that it meets the market demands of the global world. This is also crucial for contemporary Slovenian artists. As pointed out by the Director of the Kranj Institute for Tourism and Culture, Mag. Tomaž Štefe; the results of the CerDee European project will also be reflected at local level: “Together with our partners, we will explore entrepreneurial practices in the Gorenjska region. We will explore ways and strategies for connecting creators and entrepreneurs as much as possible, how to help them and how to attract buyers. We will strive for the development and transfer of knowledge and the promotion of entrepreneurship. In this way, we will also contribute to a greater sense of belonging among locals, and our cities will become more attractive for visitors, residents, and also for creators.”
The CerDee project is co-financed in the framework of the INTERREG V-B Central Europe Cooperation Programme from the European Regional Development Fund (85%), and its own resources (15%).
Additional information, Petra Grom, public relations
National Museum of Slovenia, Prešernova 20, 1000 Ljubljana
t: +386 (0)1 241 44 04, m: +386 (0)51 253 781, e: petra.grom@nms.si
www.nms.si
