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.
INTERNATIONAL ART CARAVANS ( TWO VISITS IN GREECE )
Beside Macedonia the art caravans of "The Small Montmartre of Bitola" visited neighboring Greece twice, regarding the framework of the Program for Cross-border Cooperation of Euro-region Countries.
The first time the art caravan of "The Small Montmartre of Bitola" visited Florina (Greece) on the occasion of the 20 Anniversary of Bitola's manifestation.
The participants of the international caravan "Florina 2001", consist of thirty kids participants of "The Small Montmartre of Bitola", worked in the center square of Florina for one day, eternizing the oldest and the most magnificent facilities of this town. At the end of the day, in the center square of Florina a blitz-exhibition was organized, which was seen by a lot of visitors who were delighted.
The second international caravan of "The Small Montmartre of Bitola" was held in August 2001 in Little Prespa region (Greece). The caravan was organized as a content of the multimedia project "The New Balkan", which essential aim was to bring closer the young's from Balkan countries. Around thirty artists from Bitola and Kochani took participation at this caravan. The participants create for one day in Kozani (Greece) and in many villages in Little Prespa region.