De-Center: International Ceramic Design Center--Kielce.

KIELCE, THE CITY MIDWAY BETWEEN WARSAW AND KRAKOW, Poland continues its cultural initiative by building new international centre, which will serve as a dynamic institution promoting craft and design interface. De-Center, as it will be called, will serve as a culturally diverse institution promoting contemporary design with international exhibition programs, conferences and workshops covering various areas of ceramic, craft and product design. The main task of De-Center is to establish an international residency program for ceramists, artists, product designers and graduate students interested to develop innovative projects in ceramic design. The ceramic studio will be fully equipped allowing execution of individual and multiple types of production in high fire porcelain and other ceramic materials. The stimulating environment of De-Center will offer a base for experimentation in designing, prototyping and the creation of ceramic products, art and design. Participants will be selected according to the standard of their proposed projects and artistic merit. The residency program will offer short and long (max. 3 months) residency terms. The participants will provide one lecture or workshop for a public and professional audience. At the end of the residency each participant will present the final project in the exhibition gallery and donate one work for the De-Center collection.

De-Center will be located on Zamkowa street in the heart of the Kielce cathedral hill. The building housing De-Center and the studio is a renovated and adapted old Russian prison on the edge of the city park. One wing of the building complex will form the library, administrative facilities, conference and project-rooms with four spacious exhibition galleries. The other wing will be the ceramic studio which will be equipped with a slip-casting system, plaster model shop, decal print room and individual working spaces. The studio will be managed by a shop manager. There will be technical assistants and, most importantly, professional ceramics instruction will be available. The participants will pay a basic fee for covering living expenses and the cost of firing and materials.

The vision of De-Center is to promote research and experimental processes in the development of contemporary ceramic products, helping new creative makers to fuse the art, design and craft into a new and exciting expression. De-Center will work in association with nearby porcelain manufacturer in Cmielow and other local production and service institutions. The City of Kielce owns the second largest Polish International Fair Grounds which will help to secure exposure for production possibilities and establish business contacts.

Opening of De-Center is planned for the fall of 2011 with inauguration exhibit of contemporary international design.

Art Director and initiator of De-center is Marek Cecula, artist, designer, educator and curator of international ceramic exhibitions.

The opening of De-Center is planned for the fall of 2011 with an inauguration exhibition of contemporary international design.