Prior to the jubilee 20th Carpathian Basin Folk Textile Festival, an international professional workshop was held between March 4–6, 2026. The event aimed to promote the contemporary reinterpretation of folk craft traditions and to strengthen professional cooperation within Central Europe. Experts representing the Visegrad countries—Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Poland—participated, with three to four delegates from each nation.
All participants are active in the fields of textile arts, costume culture, or folk art institutions, ensuring high-level professional dialogue and exchange of experience throughout the program. The day-and-a-half-long design training, conducted within the framework of the V4 program, was led by designer Melinda Molnár-Madarász (Meyke), Chair of the Costume Design Branch of NESZ (Association of Hungarian Folk Artists). She guided the collaborative creative process through a practice-oriented session based on her own specialized educational curriculum.
The program was further enriched by lectures closely related to the textile cultures of the V4 countries.
The central task of the workshop required participants to select one of five featured Hungarian ethnographic regions. Using its characteristic motifs, forms, and materials as a foundation, they were tasked with creating contemporary garment and attire designs that align with modern fashion trends. The assignment demanded both a deep knowledge of tradition and a creative, innovative mindset.
Numerous unique and high-quality designs were produced during the collaborative sessions. From the works of the Hungarian participants, the professional group collectively selected the designs most suitable for production. These selected garment designs will be manufactured in the coming period and will be showcased in an online catalog next year.
Workshop Schedule
March 4, 2026
16:00 – Arrival at the Craft Center (Alkotóház):
- Tour of the building and introduction to the activities of the Békés County Folk Art Association.
- Icebreaking and getting to know the workshop participants.
Led by Miklósné Pál, Head of the Association.
19:00 – Dinner at the Craft Center.
March 5, 2026 (Thursday)
08:00 – Breakfast at the Craft Center.
09:00 – WORKSHOP: Presentation by Melinda Molnár-Madarász (Meyke), fashion designer and specialist in traditional costume making.
12:00 – Lunch, followed by the continuation of the WORKSHOP and various presentations.
18:00 – Dinner, followed by the continuation of the WORKSHOP.
March 6, 2026 (Friday)
08:00 – Breakfast at the Craft Center.
09:00 – WORKSHOP (continued).
12:00 – Lunch at the Craft Center.
13:00 – Attendance at the 20th Carpathian Basin Folk Textile Festival programs held at the Csabagyöngye Cultural Center.
18:00 – Dinner at the Csabagyöngye Cultural Center.