Salon of Applied Arts
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Background
The place is set in an old secession mansion that was built in 1913 by a wealthy German manufacturer Ludwig Franz. At that time it was called Teresienhof and was an urban hub for the local bourgeoisie. During the World War II this has been transformed into a so-called Grand Cafeteria [Velika Kavarna] and in the late 1980s into a casino. That went bust in 2009, leaving the imposing building empty
A collective acting as the cooperative PERON decided to give the place its old function as being one of the centres for urban cultures. They refurbished the place, equipped it with an eclectic selection of vintage furniture and opened it up to the works created by the local craftsman and designers. Besides selling them, the people operating the Salon are also repairing and renovating various design items.
Programme
The Salon of Applied Arts is running a diverse cultural programme that features frequent concerts of jazz, ethno and quality pop concerts with mostly Slovenian artists like Janez Dovč, Brina Vogelnik, Severa Gjurin, Katja Šulc, Bossa de Novo, Marko Črnčec, but is occasionally featuring foreign guests as well (an example being the French electro-acoustic artist Lucien Gaudion).
There are also theatre plays, vinyl music listening sessions, discussion (for example, talks with resident artists who are staying at the Pekarna Cultural Centre), lectures on various topics (from philosophy to issues of social importance), literary and poetry readings (sometimes organized by Slovene National Theatre Maribor), workshops on crafts and a so-called retro vintage bazaar. The Salon was also used for events at the Lent Festival and the Maribor Theatre Festival.
An important aspect of reanimating the vibe of old Grand Cafeteria are dancing evenings, from tango lessons to the events called Veliki mestni ples [The Big City Dance], which can feature for up to 300 people dancing to a live orchestra.
See also
External links
- Salon of Applied Arts on FB
- An article on Salon (in Slovenian)