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Public Higher Education Institutions

Academy of Artsin Banská Bystrica

Rector

prof. MgA. Ing. Michal Murin, ArtD.

Kollárova 22, 974 01 Banská Bystrica, Slovak Republic

Number of students in 2024/25: 508

Number of scientific degree lecturers in 2024/25: 120

Short description

The Academy of Arts in Banská Bystrica (AKU) is a university that, as a public and self-governing entity, provides comprehensive education in accredited study programs within the field of art. These programs primarily focus on visual arts, music, theatre, and film within contemporary art. The academy also engages in its own artistic, scientific, and publishing activities. AKU supports individual creativity and critical thinking in the context of the cultural and economic development of a humanistic society.

List of faculties

Faculty of Dramatic Arts

Faculty of Performing Arts

Faculty of Fine Arts

Scientific research/artistic projects

Among most significant events the Academy of Arts in Banska Bystrica (AKU) as part of its collaborations are artistic and scientific-research projects. At the Faculty of Performing Arts projects as the International Conducting Courses “Stretnutie nad zborovou partitúrou”, INTERCOMP International Festival and Competition, the concert series “(Nová) Hudba na rázcestí” and the International Online Scientific Web Conference “Horizonty umenia” were organized. At the Faculty of Dramatic Arts were organized International Banská Bystrica Theatrology Conference, International Festival of Higher Art Schools – Artorium, Archival Film Days and International Short Film Festival – Azyl. In 2024 Faculty of Fine Arts organized ERASMUS+ KA1 – Blended Intensive Program / BIP – Graphic Art Lab and International project of art universities: POKOJE 2024, Young Art Exhibition https://www.prehlidkapokoje.cz/. Among other projects is a long-term collaboration

with the Center for Contemporary Art Artcolony. A memorandum of cooperation has been signed as well. AKU´s academics organized, were curators or participated in important international exhibitions such as Alchymia Postfactum at the Gallery of Contemporary Art Elektrownia in Czeladź / Katowice (PL, http://galeria-elektrownia.czeladz.pl/2023/06/22/alchemia-litografii/), exhibition at Gallery Fx: Symularis 6 – part of the Symularis research project carried out in various locations across different countries (PL, https://www.akademiasztuki.eu/Product/symularis-6-w-slowacji), Arché – Architecture of Universe, Giudecca Art District (GAD, IT).

International relations

Through the Erasmus+ program AKU strengthens its position in the international academic space and actively contributes to the exchange of ideas, practices, and knowledge on a global scale. Academy´s aim is to expand professional relationships that lead to long-term and stable cooperation in the fields of art and education and foster connections between educational, research, and cultural institutions. AKU partners are from 24 Erasmus+ program countries, significantly expanding the geographical reach of activities and reinforcing international connections. The Faculty of Fine Arts organized three BIP (Blended Intensive Program) courses with financial support from the Erasmus+ program. This is a new, more flexible mobility format that combines physical mobility with a virtual component, aiming to develop transnational and transdisciplinary curricula through innovative teaching methods and active participation of students and educators.