International Meeting
The International Meeting of Naïve Artists Trebnje is a traditional annual gathering that brings together artists from various countries who work in the field of naive and self-taught art. The Meeting offers an opportunity for artists to exchange experiences, techniques, and ideas, and to create new works of art in an inspiring environment.
With a tradition spanning more than half a century, it is considered a unique event in the broader European context.
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1st International Meeting in 1968
3rd International Meeting 1970
Origin and History of the International Meeting of Naïve Artists Trebnje
The International Meeting of Naïve Artists Trebnje was established in 1968 at the initiative of local political and cultural representatives of the municipality. More information about its founders, as well as its legal and organizational beginnings, can be found in the catalogue Images from the Collection of the Trebnje Gallery of Naïve Artists (2017).
The Meeting’s primary mission was to bring together Slovenian naïve artists and provide a space for meetings, creative collaboration, and the exchange of experiences. Over the years, theMeeting gradually expanded to include international participants, significantly enhancing its visibility and fostering cultural connections with artists from abroad.
In its early years, the event was known as the Meeting of Slovenian Naïve Artists. It was later renamed several times and, since 1992, has operated under its current title: the International Meeting of Naïve Artists Trebnje. With more than half a century of continuous tradition, it represents a unique phenomenon within the broader European cultural landscape.
In response to the need to exhibit and preserve the artworks created during the many Meeting editions, the Trebnje Gallery of Self-Taught Artists (GLST) was founded in 1971.
About the Meeting
The International Meeting of Naïve Artists Trebnje is an annual multi-day gathering and creative event for artists who apply in advance and are selected to participate. It has been held continuously since 1968.
Applications are open to self-taught visual artists who have not received formal academic art education. An expert committee reviews the applications and selects up to ten artists to take part in the Meeting.
During the Meeting, the invited artists create artworks at the organizer’s premises and present and demonstrate their creative processes to visitors. The organizer provides each participant with free accommodation, meals, reimbursement of travel expenses, and basic art materials for the duration of the Meeting.
At the end of the Meeting, the organizer stages an exhibition of the artworks created during the event and presents awards to selected participants. The award recipients are chosen by a professional jury, and the award ceremony is accompanied by an expert appraisal delivered by a guest art critic.
Upon completion of the Meeting, each participant donates one of the artworks created during the event to the gallery’s permanent collection. These donated works become part of the gallery’s holdings, contributing to the development and promotion of naïve art both in Slovenia and internationally.
Organizer
The Meeting is organized by the Trebnje Gallery of Naïve Artists (GLST), which operates within the Centre for Education and Culture Trebnje (CIK Trebnje). The gallery is a specialized institution dedicated to naïve and self-taught art from around the world.
Its collection has been built over more than half a century through the continuous tradition of organizing the International Meeting of Naïve Artists Trebnje, which has taken place every year since 1968.
Today, the collection comprises more than 1,500 artworks—including paintings and sculptures—and features works by more than 360 artists from various countries.
Thanks to the diversity of its collection and the long-standing continuity of its activities, the gallery and the Meeting together represent a unique cultural phenomenon within the broader European context.
International meeting 2026
From 9 June to 13 June 2026