IDEOLOGISTS & CREATORS
Mr. Kosta Hadzi Antonovski
The ideological creator of "The Small Montmartre of Bitola", Mr. Kosta Hadzi Antonovski this year marks his two important jubilees: 76 year of his life and 55 years career as a painting artist and art pedagogue educator.
Born in Bitola on 22. 05. 1935, he graduated at School of Applied Arts in a class of the most famous Macedonian fine arts artists Borko Lazeski and Lazar Lichenoski. Since 1981 he is the manager of the Children Art Studio St. Cyril and Methody - Bitola. Although since 2001 Mr. Kosta went on a deserved rest, the retirement, he continue to work with the members of the Studio and at the same time he continue to organize the festival The Small Montmartre of Bitola. These and many more obligations after his retirement he performed voluntary.
Kosta Hadzi Antonovski has given a precious contribution in the field of children education and artistic creation of Macedonian culture. He is an exceptional and very genuine person, a great enthusiast of the art, idealist but also a practitioner. At the same time he is a born pedagogue, someone with untold love for the children.
For his lasting and fruitful wirk, Kosta Hadzi Antonovski has been awarded with great number of domestic and international appreciation. He is a winner of the Ministry of Education of R. Macedonia "St.Climent award", twice he is awarded by the highest recognition of the city of Bitola, the award of "4th of November" (once for the art education and the second time for a life achivment award). For his exceptional training work he has been procalimed as a "distinguished pedagogue of Yugoslavia"…He was granted with the highest recognition - Medal of Honor of the City of Paris (France) as well as the award of the Festival Montmartre of Europe - Paris for the great contribution given by The Small Monmartre of Bitola for the multimedia festival Montmartre of Europe held in Paris. Order of Republic of France for culture,Nehru Award for culture and award by Television “Orbis” - Bitola for lifetime achievment.
For the restless art pedagogue - educator Kosta Hadzi Antonovski it is of great success that "The Small Montmartre of Bitola" exists for 30 years.
Additional activities of the Studio
NEW YEAR AND KOLEDE CEREMONIES
Beside it regular work with young talents from Bitola the Children Art Studio during the last 25 years had some other additional activities.
On the New Year Eve the Studio organizes for several times the manifestation called "Santa Claus in Old Bitola Bazaar". This manifestation took place on the plateau in front of the Children Art Gallery, with more than 3-4 thousands citizens who were there with their children.
Santa Claus was always there, and from the balcony of the Children Art Gallery he send the New Year Message and he granted the kinds with a presents provided by the Studio.
The Children Art Studio solemnly and in the spirit of the Christians religious rituals celebrates the great festive of Kolede.
The first Kolede's fire was set in the far 1989. It was a brave venture, regarding the fact that at that time we still live in a one-party communist system.
One distinguished craftsman from the Old Bazaar each year lightened the Kolede fire, on a traditional way. Around the fire the older visitors were having a hot "rakija" (alcohol), and the children have rolls, balloons, candies, chocolates and other gifts provided by the Studio.
The Studio will cherish these old Kolede traditions with love ever after.
ARRANGEMENT OF THE OLD BITOLA BAZAAR
The Children Art Studio made a great contribute to the ennoblement and arrangement of the Old Bitola Bazaar, which is considered to be among the most famous cultural-history monuments of Bitola and which is far famous by its beauty.
At first the Studio arranged the place in front of the Children Art Gallery, which is located in the heart of the Old Bazaar. On this location, in 1992 the Studio supported by its sponsors built a fountain with three water flows, which supply the inhabitants, on their great pleasure, with pure Pelister's water. This fountain is surrounded by three branches, which serve for the rest of all bazaar visitors.
On such arranged plateau a mast was placed 10 meters high, which held a flag on many occasions most of all at the opening ceremonies of "The Small Montmartre of Bitola".
The most magnificent embellishment of The Old Bitola Bazaar is the wall-fresco named as "Awakening", a masterpiece of the participants of Summer Art School of Bitola's Montmartre.
That is the reason why the citizens will continue to accept cordially those arrangement activities of the Studio in the future.
BITOLA'S MONTMARTRE AND BROADCASTING
The Children Art Studio established fruitful cooperation with broadcasting networks. Affirmative articles regularly are published in a press as well as in the broadcasting networks about the numerous activities and successes of the Studio and "The Small Montmartre of Bitola"
Beside the domestic broadcast networks, such articles speaking about Bitola's manifestation were published in any country participants of "The Small Montmartre of Bitola".
The most famous children art manifestation of the world "The Small Montmartre of Bitola" is represented by documentary films, many special TV and radio shows, articles published in European newsletters and worldwide. Great contribution for the popularity of Bitola's Montmartre was made by the performance of the rich and representative advertising material which is made each year by the organizers the Children Art Studio such as: placards, bulletins, catalogues, T-shirts, hats, pendants with the symbols of "The Small Montmartre of Bitola".
RICH AND REPRESENTATIVE ADVERTISING MATERIAL
Since the very beginning of the work until the present day the Studio publishes a very rich and representative advertising material. Thus, each festival "The Small Montmartre of Bitola" is followed by these publications: brochure about the international competition "Bitola", a color invitation, a color placard, a catalogue, a bulletin with plenty color photos….
Every participant and art pedagogue is granted with a complete working clothes (a hat, a T-shirt and a bag), pens, pendants, badges etc.
Such representative advertising material is prepared for each exhibition of the Studio in the country and abroad. Such presentation played a great and important role regarding the affirmation of "The Small Montmartre of Bitola" around the world.
Three documentary film are made telling the story about "The Small Montmartre of Bitola": 30 minutes film was made in 1986 by the Macedonian Radio-Television Network redaction of Turkey language, The second film was made by "Orbis" Network from Bitola lasting 30 minutes. The third film was made by the Children Art Studio on the occasion of the annual jubilee of 15th Anniversary of "The Small Montmartre of Bitola". The duration of this film is one and a half-hour.