Trebnje Gallery of Naïve/Self-taught Artists

The Gallery was founded in 1971 by the Meeting of Naive Artists institute as the keeper of works of art donated by the participating artists. It was given the task of protecting, collecting, studying, exhibiting, promoting and documenting naive art. The Gallery first found home in the rectory, but moved to new premises in 2004, where it remains today.

The Gallery´s collection contains over 1300 works by 325 artists from 42 countries. Its scope and quality ranks it among the most important collections of naive art in the world, as is evident in the international award that the Trebnje Gallery received for its collection at the world exhibition of naive art in Bratislava (INSITA) in 1994.

In addition to maintaining the permanent exhibition, the Gallery´s exhibition activity includes the organisation of occasional solo exhibitions by individual naive artists and the organisation of tours of its collection in other parts of Slovenia and abroad. The most important event, which the gallery organises and which prompted the establishment of the Gallery, is Trebnje International Meeting of Naive Artists.

The Trebnje Meeting arose as an event motivated by the desire for cultural development in the town, the desire to bring together naive artists and form regular meetings that would promote their works and offer them professional support. The first Meeting took place in 1968. The Meetings in Trebnje have become traditional working meetings of artists, where participants create art, share their experience and impart knowledge of naive and self-taught art to the public. The Mettings of Naive Artists helped establish Trebnje as the cultural hub in Slovenia and abroad.

Since 1994, both the Meeting and the Gallery have been operating under the Trebnje Centre for Education and Culture (CIK Trebnje). The Gallery´s professional work is guided by the Expert Council and performed by the curator.

The Gallery explores, exhibits as well as promotes Slovenian and international naïve and self-taught art in order to produce quality and dedicated ptrogramme of exhibitions, workshops and other events to deepen appreciation of naïve and self-taught art, help people develop their own creativity, gain knowledge and support critical thinking.