The first C4F-ELEVATE professional event in Vasvár connected traditional craft knowledge with contemporary design, fashion and tourism, presenting good practices and opportunities for cross-border cooperation.

On 24 April 2026, the C4F-ELEVATE partnership organised its first professional event, “Cultural Heritage in Traditional Crafts”, at the House of Peace in Vasvár, Hungary. The event focused on preserving craft knowledge and cross-border cultural heritage while exploring how tradition can become a source of contemporary creativity, innovation and sustainable development. Following the welcome address by István Kovács, President of the Board of Trustees of the Vasvár Greater Area Folk High School Foundation, Sara Köleš Ribeiro, Director of POMELAJ, presented the C4F-ELEVATE project, its objectives and its approach to cooperation between craftspeople, experts, institutions and tourism stakeholders in Slovenia and Hungary. Erzsébet Devecz then presented the path from the transmission of tradition to innovation and the development of a regional model of folk art. Her contribution underlined the importance of networks, professional support and the systematic transfer of knowledge to new generations. Katalin Beszprémy explored new trends and roots in the contemporary use of folk costumes and embroidery. She showed how traditional motifs, materials and techniques can remain recognisable while finding a place in present-day products and visual culture. Practical examples were presented by Réka Bardon, a corn-husk craftswoman and Young Master of Folk Art, and István Berta, a potter and folk applied artist. Their work demonstrated the value of skilled handwork, personal experience and the creative development of inherited techniques. Melinda Molnár-Madarász, known through her fashion brand Meyke, concluded the lecture programme with a presentation on tradition and fashion, illustrating how elements of cultural heritage can be reinterpreted in contemporary design. The professional programme continued in Oszkó with a joint visit to the craft workshop of the Vasvár Folk High School and the Hegypásztor area. Participants visited a wine-cellar country house and observed the renovation of a traditional thatched roof, gaining direct insight into the relationship between craftsmanship, built heritage and local tourism. Slovenian–Hungarian interpretation enabled active exchange between participants from both countries. The knowledge and examples shared at the event will contribute to the project’s cross-border strategy, educational activities and efforts to increase the visibility and contemporary relevance of craft heritage.

Photos by C4F-ELEVATE