The Arts program at the Fine Art department develops a young artist’s technical abilities and personal vision through the study of a variety of traditional subjects. Creative problem solving, critical thinking and a broad range of experiences build the foundation for deeper understanding, advanced learning, and innovation within the various techniques and technologies.

Deputy for fine art studies:
Mr. Vytenis Baura,  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ,

What most distinguishes the School Fine Arts department from other art schools is the breadth and depth of its curriculum and the freedom our students have to navigate among choices of study.

There are no majors to the range of courses students from grade 1 to 10 are to take. Our students are encouraged to move among forms. Implementing what we need to say as artists and scholars and teaching students to represent what they want to represent, we create the environment where our students must cross between systems of thought and practice. At grade 11 and 12 students take a course in principal field from painting, graphics, sculpture or design with a complex of supplementary subjects.

The Fine Art department students have many opportunities to show their work throughout the year. Student works are displayed in the art gallery “Mūza”, which houses regular exhibitions every 2 weeks, in the department premise and around the School. Along with various projects and exhibitions nationwide young artists have had their works exhibited in Japan, Holland, Austria, Sweden, Finland and the USA.
Nearly 30 teachers with the professional artistic and pedagogic background work with more than 240 students.

INTERNATIONAL PROJECT
 
DIGITAL COMPETENCES - ENTREPRENEURSHIP - VISUAL ARTS
ST.ART - STreet ARTists in a virtual space
Programme:  COMENIUS Multilateral

 
Promoter:  Università degli Studi Guglielmo Marconi – Telematica, Rome, Italy
Duration:  2009-2011
Main Products: Training path with 3 training session

• e-Course in e-learning environment;
• Social area in e-learning environment;
• Open Sim environment where the classroom will develop a art work. 

Web-Link: www.startproject.eu

HISTORY:

1960

The Fine Arts Department is founded at the State Secondary Specialized Boarding School of Music. The school is renamed Vilnius Secondary Specialized Boarding School of Art.

 

1962

The teachers of the Fine Arts Department initiate the establishment of the museum of Etnography.

“…The final word here was uttered by the valiant Dainius Trinkūnas, the Director of the School. That was the autumn of 1962. We all felt the deep significance of the venture, and later, enthusiastic support in our field research expeditions. Some pupils‘ parents and the pupils themselves actively contributed, enthusiastically taking part in regional studies expeditions. They participated in research groups and collected exhibits for the Museum. I looked after the Museum as much as I could…“

Vytautas Ciplijauskas

Vilnius Art Salon (now ‘Pamėnkalnis Gallery’, Pamėnkalnio St. 1/13) housed the first exhibition of works by the pupils of the Fine Arts Department.

 

1964

At an international exhibition in Rostock (The German Democratic Republic) Stasys Stasiūnas, a pupil (9th form) of the Fine Arts Department, is awarded a certificate of the exhibition.

The second exhibition of works by the pupils of the Fine Arts Department is opened at Vilnius Art Salon.

 

1965

On 16 September the School is named in honour of Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis.

In Rostock (GDR), at an international exhibition ‘Peace in Children’s Drawings’ a pupil Algis Klisevičius (8th form) of the Fine Arts Department is awarded the First Prize.

Pupils Genovaitė Gaidytė (7th form) and Teresė Ragauskaitė (8th form) of the Fine Arts Department receive awards at an exhibition of drawings by pre-school and school age children, in Bucharest, Romania.

 

1966

The first graduation at the Fine Arts Department of the School.

Works by pupils of the Fine Arts Department are exhibited in Rostock at an International Exhibition ‘Drawings by children from the Baltic Sea region’.

 

1967

Publication of the First art album ‘The Silver Hours of the Morn’ by the pupils of the Fine Arts Department.

Works by pupils of the Fine Arts Department are exhibited in Erfurt (GDR) at an international art exhibition ‘Friendship Gallery’.

“…shows how close folklore, folk songs, fairy-tales, and legends are to the children of the school. What a splendid artistic foundation for every artist. It must be specially noted that most exhibits do not only demonstrate the expression of the motif but also very often witness the manifestation of a really broad artistic theme.”

The weekly ’Literatūra ir menas’, 17 June 1967

An international exhibition ‘The World Belongs to Children’ is held in New York, the USA, at the African American Cultural Center. Elena Pigagaitė (9th form), Stasys Stasiūnas (10th form), Ingė Jaskėnaitė (11th form), Algis Malakauskas (11th form) and Rimas Ožkutis (10th form) are awarded certificates.

 

1970

Pupils of the Fine Arts Department, Stasys Kuzma (10th form) and Jadvyga Kaštaunaitė (11th form), are awarded certificates at an exhibition of art by young people, Osaka, Japan.

 

1971

Works by pupils of the Fine Arts Department are exhibited in Moscow, the USSR, at an international exhibition ‘Art of Young People’.

At an International Children’s Drawing Exhibition ‘The 2nd Phantasy Biennale‘ in Martin (Czechoslovakia), the Main Prize is awarded to Daina Steponavičiūtė (8th form) for her work ‘The Flying Ship’. Works ‘The Frog Queen’ by Regina Maželytė (8th form) and ‘Eglė, the Queen of Grass Snakes’ by Rimas Ožkutis (8th form) are awarded prizes. Algis Malakauskas (8th form) for ‘Oh, Little Girl of mine’, Danguolė Simonavičiūtė (8th form) for ‘How the Devil Served the Man’ and Danutė Kairytė (8th form) for ‘Nine Brothers’ are awarded certificates. The M. K. Čiurlionis School is awarded a certificate for the best collection of works.

An exhibition of graphic art by pupils of the Fine Arts Department is held in Leningrad, the USSR.

Pupils of the Fine Arts Department Birutė Stančikaitė (8th form), Vytautas Raila (7th form) and Kęstutis Kupstas (5th form) receive prizes at an exhibition of children’s drawings in Joensuu, Finland.

At an exhibition at the Academy of Art of the USSR, Moscow, Čiurlionis Art School is awarded a medal; the pupils are awarded certificates.

 

1972

Aušra Kalnėnaitė (10th form) and Danutė Kairytė (11th form) are awarded prizes at an international children’s drawings exhibition ‘The Baltic Sea – the Sea of Peace’ in Rostock, DDR.

 

1973

In Holland, a mobile exhibition of graphic works opens exhibiting the final portfolio compositions by pupils of the Fine Arts Department.

During the events of ‘Culture Days of the USSR’, 30 works by pupils of the Fine Art Department are exhibited alongside the works by masters of Lithuanian graphic art.

Works by pupils of the Fine Arts department are exhibited at an international children’s exhibition in Torun, Poland.

 

1975

The Fine Arts Department participates in a national exhibition of children’s art schools.

Works bypupilsoftheFineArtsDepartmentareexhibitedinMoscow,theUSSR,ataninternationalexhibition‘HowISeetheWorld’.

 

1976

The second art album by pupils of the Fine Arts Department, ‘The Silver Hours of the Morn’.

 

1977

Works by pupils of the Fine Arts Department are exhibited at an international art exhibition in Holland.

M. K. Čiurlionis Art school is awarded a certificate and a commemoration medal at an international exhibition ‘The town where I live’ in Opava, Czechoslovakia.

 

1979

At Vilnius Art Exhibition Palace (now the Contemporary Art Centre), Vilnius, M. K. Čiurlionis Art School and Kaunas J.Naujalis School arrange the first joint exhibition devoted to International Children’s Day.

“… artworks by pupils of both schools demonstrate that they foster the best traditions of realism; however in tightening links with life there are still some problems – how to teach the pupils to solve their own problems on the basis of life realities, how to avoid artificial subjects and compositions […] As to the genres of the artworks, we can see that the artistic levels of Sculpture and Drawing are more developed.”

The weekly ‘Literatūra ir menas‘ , 1979 No. 15

 

1980

Through the efforts of Petras Mazūras, the teacher of Sculpture, a foundry was set up and equipped at the Fine Arts Department. Works by pupils of the Fine Arts Department are exhibited at an international children’s drawings competition in Sweden.

 

1981

A painter-monumentalist Angelė Banytė (third alumni of the Fine Arts Department) and painters Sofija Veiverytė and Natalija Daškova are awarded the State Prize of the USSR for the fresco ‘Our Land’.

 

1982

An exhibition of graphic art ‘Happy Childhood’ is held by pupils of the Fine Arts Department in Skelleftea, Sweden.

Stanislovas Kuzma, (the first alumni of the Fine Arts Department), is awarded the State Prize of the LSSR.

 

1984

The scenery painter, Galius Kličius (the second alumni of the Fine Arts Department), is awarded the State Prize of the LSSR for stage artistry work in the feature film ‘Fact’ by the Lithuanian Film Studios.

 

1985

The Fine Arts Department participates in an exhibition of works by pupils of specialized art schools at Kaunas Picture Gallery.

The celebration of the fiftieth birthday of Romualdas Kunca, a painter and teacher at the Fine Arts Department.

 

1986

A textile artist, Salvija Vaitiekūnaitė Giedrimienė (the first alumni of the Fine Arts Department), is awarded the State Prize of the LSSR.

 

1989

Since 1 September, starting with the 10th form, alongside Drawing, Painting, Graphic Art and Sculpture, the discipline of Artistic Construction (later, Design) has been taught.

 

1991

In 1988–1990 the teachers and pupils of the Fine Arts Department actively participate in the Reform Movement of Lithuania, Sąjūdis. To commemorate the Baltic Way event, three grafted oaks (symbolizing Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia) are planted in the yard of the Fine Arts Department.

In June, to honour the defenders of Seimas, an exhibition of artworks by pupils of the Fine Arts Department is held in the main premises of Seimas.

 

1992

On 25 November the first in Lithuania children’s art gallery ‘Mūza’ is opened on the premises of the school.

 

1994

The school is renamed the Vilnius Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis Art Gymnasium.

An exhibition of graphic art by pupils of the Fine Arts Department is held at the Balzekas Museum in Chicago (USA). All of the 30 exhibits are donated to the Lithuanian Museum of Lithuanian Culture in Chicago.

Publication of the 1995 calendar, the first one illustrated by pupils of the Fine Arts Department.

 

1995

At an international children’s Ex Libris exhibition in Kamnik (Slovenia) six pupils of the Fine Arts Department are awarded certificates.

Publication of the art almanac ‘Volungė’ (‘Oriole’) containing works of art by pupils of the Fine Arts Department. The second almanac is published in 1996, the third in 2000, and the fourth in 2004.

450 art and science books are donated to the Fine Arts Department by Margo Maxwell MacDonald, Director of The Westerly Trust (third from the left in the picture), as well as other people and institutions based in London. The British Ambassador and his wife (first and second from the left) present the books. Thus a reference library, currently holding 800 books, is founded at the Fine Arts Department.

 

1996

Eight pupils of the Fine Arts Department are awarded certificates at the XI international children and young people’s exhibition ‘Ethnic Culture and Traditions’ in Hyvinkaa, Finland.

Artist-sculptor, Stanislovas Kuzma (the first alumni of the Fine Arts Department), is awarded the Lithuanian National Prize.

An exhibition of works by pupils of the Fine Arts Department opens at the Contemporary Art Centre in Vilnius to mark the 50th anniversary of the School. 354 works are exhibited.

In September, an exhibition by pupils of the Fine Arts Department is widely noted and recognized in Viernheim, Germany. Works by 17 authors are displayed.

 

1997

A permanent exhibition of works by the teachers of the Fine Art Department is opened in the Hall of Stained-Glass at the Fine Arts Department.

An exhibition by pupils of the Fine Arts Department takes place in ‘Mūza’ gallery. On display are letters-drawings that the pupils would send all over the world with the post-stamps or replicas drawn by the pupils.

In November, Rimas Sakalauskas (6th form), a pupil of the Fine Arts Department wins the First Prize at the Helsinki international art competition ’Sound and Vision 1997’ devoted to the 80th anniversary of Finland’s independence. Four more pupils of the Fine Arts Department are awarded prizes. The works by the winners (among 300 entries) are displayed at the famous ‘Finland Hall’.

An exhibition of the Fine Arts Department is opened in Vierheim, Germany. 43 artworks are on display.

An exhibition of 44 works by pupils of the Fine Arts Department opens in Leipzig, Germany. It is dedicated to the ‘Day of Evangelists’.

An exhibition by pupils of the Fine Arts Department is held in Nancy, France. 64 works are displayed.

“A really lovely painting exhibition by pupils of Vinius Art Gymnasium (Lithuania) has just finished at MJC Michon Gallery. Still-lifes, ladscapes, rural images – all the subjects are painted very neatly in light and dark shades, the misty landscapes are presented with splendid care. These stunning contrasts take birth in drawing the past together with artistic vision.”

From the local press on the exhibition

3,000 works from 45 countries are presented at the UNESCO Centre in Paris at an international exhibition ‘De la Terre et de l’Eau’. Dalia Kiaupaitė (7th form) wins the First Prize in the 14–17 age group.

Tomas Kasparavičius (8th form), Ramunė Snuviškytė (10th form), and Inga Ševčenkaitė (8th form) win certificates at an international Ex Libris competition ‘450 Years of the Lithuanian Book’, organized by Vilnius Art Academy.

The Publishing House, ‘Vaga’, publishes the book ‘A Speckled Snail of Dreams’ by Violeta Palčinskaitė, and illustrated by pupils of the Fine Arts Department.

 

1998

Publication of the book ‘Enchanted Worlds’ by Petras Šatkus, which has been illustrated by 28 pupils (5–7th forms) of the Fine Arts Department.

The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications of Japan organ-izes an international competition to create a postage stamp. 24,000 works from 35 countries enter. Pupil Živilė Šlektavičiūtė (9th form) is awarded a ‘Special Prize’ and certificate.

In April, dedicated to mutual cooperation among young Europeans, the 4th international competition of youth literature and art is organized by Krzyžowa foundation and European Academy in Arnstadt, Germany. 250 works from Poland, Germany, Belarus, and Lithuania are displayed. Ona Lozuraitytė (8th form) receives one of the seven main prizes. Pupils Saulė Gudauskaitė (12th form) and Giedrius Paulauskas (12th form) are also distinguished.

In April, works 16 by pupils of the Fine Arts Department are exhibited at ‘Arka’ Gallery at an exhibition of spacial compositions.

 

1999

Artist painter-monumentalist Nijolė Vilutytė (first alumni of the Fine Arts Department) is awarded the Lithuanian National Prize.

Publication of callendar 2000 ‘Young Lithuanian Artists Fight Cancer’, illustrated by twelve pupils of the Fine Arts Department.

At an international contest ‘Music and Colours 99’ in Helsinki, Finland, Miglė Meseckaitė (9th form) wins the first place, Ignas Kozlovas (9th form) is second, Vaiva Šimoliūnaitė (9th form) and Jovilė Talmantaitė (9th form) are third. Twelve pupils are awarded diplomas. M. K. Čiurlionis Art Gymnasium is awarded certificate ‘First Place’ for the best collection.

At an international children’s contest of Ex Libris in Kingissep, Russia, five pupils of the fine Arts Department are awarded certificates.

In April, 80 works of graphic art and paintings are exhibited in Toplitz/Potsdam, Germany, at an exhibition by pupils of the Fine Arts Department.

In October, the Art Museum in Hyvinkaa, Finland, holds an international art exhibition by children and young people ‘Ethnoculture and traditions’ with 9,996 entries from 69 countries. Rūta Dumalakaitė (8th form) wins a certificate and a medal. Six pupils of the Fine Arts Department are awarded certificates.

In November, 30 works by pupils of the Fine Arts Department are displayed at an exhibition of painting and graphic art at Congress Concert Hall, Vilnius.

In January an exhibition of 28 works by pupils (11–12th form) of the Fine Arts Department takes place at ‘Arka’ Gallery, Vilnius.

In Takasaki, Japan, Eikantas Pakalka (11th form) is awarded a ‘Distinction Diploma’ at the 6th International Art and Music Competition of High School Students (281 authors selected for assessment from 1,748 participants).

At an international competition ‘For Peace and Tolerance’ (drawings sent by fax) in Spilimbergo, Italy, Eikantas Pakalka (11th form) pupil of the Fine Arts Department wins the second prize.

 

2000

The Fine Arts Department marks the Millennium.

In Helsinki, Finland, Milda Galadauskaitė (9th form) wins first place and Vaiva Šimoliūnaitė (9th form) comes second at an International Art Competition and Forum ‘Music and Colours’, organized by the Association of Art, Knowledge and Ability (the selected 190 works are from the entries of 1997, 1998 and 1999).

An exhibition of works by 32 pupils of the Fine Arts Department is held in Dresden, Germany.

On 14 January – 7 February, an exhibition of watercolours by 15 senior pupils of the Fine Arts Department is held at ‘Arka’ Gallery, Vilnius.

On 24 – 29 January, to mark the jubilee of Christianity, a children’s contest – exhibition ‘2000 Years Under the Star of Bethlehem‘ is held at the Lithuanian Artists Palace. Rūta Dumalakaitė (7th form) of the Fine Arts Department wins third prize, eight pupils of the school are awarded certificates.

In February, six works by pupils of the Fine Arts Department are on display in Vilnius Town Hall at an exhibition – contest ‘Vilnius In the Eyes of Young Artists’.

In March, ten works by pupils of the Fine Arts Department are on display at the 28th International Children’s Art Exhibition ‘Lidice 2000’ in the Czech Republic.

On 7 – 16 September, an exhibition by teachers and pupils of the Fine Arts Department is held at ‘Arka’ Gallery to mark the 40th anniversary of the Fine Arts Department. 61 works by forty-six teachers, 29 works by seventeen school-leavers of the first class of graduates, and 110 works by current pupils of the Fine Arts Department are on display.

On 22 September, to commemorate the 125th birthday of M. K. Čiurlionis, the creator’s memorial – a bust is unveiled in a square next to the school. (The author of the bust is Žilvinas Landzbergas, a graduate (1988) of the Fine Arts Department. The bust is cast at the foundry of the Fine Arts Department by the teacher of the Department, Petras Mazūras. 138,000 litas are raised for the monumement and the environmental project).

“A monument to M. K. Čiurlionis in Vilnius.

Finally a monument has emerged in the capital for the pride of Lithuania: painter and composer M. K. Čiurlionis. On the birthday of the Genius, a memorial bust was unveiled nearby M. K. Čiurlionis Art Gymnasium.

The author of the bust is Žilvinas Landzbergas, the environmental project designed by architect Juozas Palaima. At the ceremony of unveiling, among the partcipants were: the Chairman of Seimas Vytautas Landsbergis, the Minister of Education and Science, the Minister of Culture, the heads of Vilnius municipality, literary and artist organizations, numerous pupils and pedagogues of M. K. Čiurlionis Art Gymnasium.

According to Romualdas Kondrotas, the Director of the M. K. Čiur-lionis Art Gymnasium, the idea to erect the monument emerged three years ago. The donations came from the pupils of the Gymnasium, their parents and teachers, the Ministry of Culture, Vilnius municipality, the Stasys Karosas Foundation, and Hans-Friedrich Fischer, Rector of the Vilnius St. Joseph Seminary.

In his address to the young followers of M. K. Čiurlionis, Professor V. Landsbergis recalled the commemoration of the 100th anniversary 25 years ago. The idea to erect a monument to the outstanding Lithuanian creator was officially proposed then, alas, permission was denied from Moscow. Vilnius is Čiurlionis‘ city, stressed V. Landsbergis, as here Čiurlionis came to serve his nation, conducted choirs, arranged art exhibitions and met his great love Sofija Kymantaitė. Especially gladdening is the fact that the erection of the monument was initiated not by high functionaries but by the pupils and the teachers of the Gymnasium. The very location of the monument in this cozy nook of Vilnius will be suitable for various events and concerts.

The memorial bust was consecrated by H. F. Fischer, Rector of the Vilnius St. Joseph Seminary.

The Choir of the M. K. Čiurlionis Gymnasium and the ensemble of young violinists performed at the unveiling ceremony.

The daily newspaper ‘Lietuvos žinios’, 25 September 2000 No. 225

 

2001

The school is re-named of the National Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis School of Art.

In October, an exhibition ‘Vilnius is Changing with Me’ is arranged at the German Embassy in Vilnius. 31 works are exhibited.

Pupils of the Fine Arts Department participate in a History – Art project ‘Let’s Rebuild the Royal Palace‘. On 12 June an exhibition ‘Barbora Radvilaitė and the Royal Palace’ opens in the Royal Palace, which is still being built. The Chairman of Seimas A.Paulauskas makes a public announcement of thanks.

In May an international (Poland, Germany and Lithuania) conference ‘Lithuania – a Baltic Neighbour in the Epoch of Changes‘ is held in Krzyžowa, Poland. The M.K.Čiurlionis School of Art is represented by the exhibition. Works by 61 pupils are displayed. Tomas Činakovas (11th form) wins a certificate.

In April, an exhibition ‘Birds and Animals’ is arranged at T. Ivanauskas Zoology Museum in Kaunas. On display are 46 works of art.

The Fine Arts Department participates in the project ‘Cultural Messages Across the Baltic’. The project participants hold an exhibition at Helsinki Senior Secondary School of Visual Arts. Works by 12 pupils of the Fine Arts Department are displayed.

Milda Rėklytė (9th form) in the 13–15 age group wins the first place, and Margiris Buržinskas (5th form) in age group 10–12 is awarded a special Jury certificate at an international pupils’ art competition ‘World Heritage – Youth Vision 2001’ in Banska Štiavnica, Slovakia.

The International Continuous Education Center of Art and Music University in Takasaki, Japan, holds the 7th International Art and Music Competition for High School Students. 1,901 works from 25 countries enter the competition. Ieva Paškonytė (11th form) is nominated for ‘outstanding artwork and creativity’, Ania Umbrasaitė (12th form) wins a special ‘Heisuke Hironaka’ award (Heisuke Hironaka, the Chairman of the Jury is Professor at Harvard University and Rector of Yamaguchi University), Vaiva Šimoliūnaitė (11th form) receives a special ‘Nyiregyhazi’ award.

The International Child Art Foundation initiates an international contest for children ‘Me in the New Millennium’. The winner in each participant country was to go to Washington to participate in the final stage of the contest. Rūta Stasevičiūtė (6th form) of the Fine Arts Department becomes the winner in Lithuania.

15,748 works from 63 countries enter the 2nd International Children’s Drawing Contest on the Environment in Tokyo, organized by the Japanese Quality Assurance Organization, International Certification Network and UNICEF Office for Japan. Ieva Mockevičiūtė (8th form) wins ‘The International Best Prize’ in the category of International awards, Rūta Stasevičiūtė (5th form) and Miglė Baltrūnaitė (6th form) win ‘Special Prizes’.

 

2002

From now on pupils are admitted to the Fine Arts Department to study art from the 1st form (previously from the 5th form).

In October, an exhibition of painting and graphic art by pupils of the Fine Arts Department opens in Viernheim, Germany. 53 works are exhibited.

The 4th international competition for children and young people ‘The Child and the Dog’ takes place in Chestochowa, Poland. Silvija Merkytė (12th form) is awarded a prize, and Gabrielė Mataitytė (9th form) is awarded a special certificate.

At the 1st International Children’s Culture and Art Festival in Tianjin, China, Rūta Dumalakaitė (10th form) wins the Gold Prize, Kotryna Kilulytė (10th form) wins the Silver prize. Eight other students are awarded certificates.

Silvija Ignotaitė (6th form) of the Fine Arts Department is awarded a special prize, eleven other pupils are awarded certificates at the 3rd International Environmental Children’s Drawing Contest in Tokyo, Japan.

Works of 30 pupils of the Fine Arts Department are presented in Hyvinkaa, Finland, at the 12th International Art Exhibition of Children and Young People ‘Art and Everyday Life’.

At the 9th annual world contest of children’s drawings, organ-ized by Ie-No-Hikari Association, Japan, Gabrielė Mataitytė (9th form) of the Fine Arts Department wins the Gold Prize.

The Krzyžowa Foundation for Mutual Understanding in Europe organizes the 8th International Artists’ Competition for Youth titled ‘My Place on Earth’. Rugilė Žadeikytė (8th form) wins the second place and Liutauras Vaisėta (7th form) third. Both pupils of the Fine Arts Department are awarded certificates.

Pupil Vytenis Tolutis (8th form) of the Fine Arts Department wins a prize at the 30th International Children’s Art Exhibition ‘Lidice 2002‘, the Czech Republic.

The Publishing House ‘Katalikų Pasaulis‘ (‘The Catholic World‘) publishes Karl Heinrich Waggerl’s ‘And it happened…unheard-of stories of the Child of Bethlehem‘, illustrated by pupils of the Fine Arts Department (11 authors).

 

2003

In October, an exhibition of 58 art works by pupils of the Fine Art Department is organized at Detmold Town Hall, Germany.

Paintings and works of graphic art, created at the Krzyžowa international plein-air by participants from Poland, Germany and Lithuania (pupils of the Fine Arts Department of the M. K. Čiur-lionis School of Art) are exhibited at the School’s gallery ‘Mūza’. The exhibition is introduced by Marek Stanielewicz, a teacher at Wroclaw Art Academy.

The Foundation for Global Peace and the Environment, the UN Environment Programme and National Museum of Ethnology, Japan, organize the 12th international Competition of Painting by Children on the Environment ‘Save the Earth‘. Margiris Buržinskas (7th form) is ranked third.

66 works are exhibited in Toplitz, Germany, at an exhibition by pupils of the Fine Arts Department.

Rapolas Vosylius (8th form) and Margiris Buržinskas (7th form) are awarded at an International Contest of Drawing for Children and Young People ‘Copernicus. Cosmos’ in Torun, Poland.

The fine Arts Department participates in the project ‘Cultural Messages Across the Baltic’. In October works by 44 authors are displayed in Haukipudas, Finland, at an exhibition by the participant members of the Fine Arts Department.

10,000 participants from 85 countries compete at an international postage-stamp design contest ‘Peace’, organized by the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration. Pupil Joskaudė Pakalkaitė (9th form) of the Fine Arts Department wins the First Prize in the category for young people. The best works of the contest are used to issue a series of postage stamps dedicated to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial.

The Lithuanian Writers’ Union publishes an art almanac of Lithuanian schoolchildren’s artwork called ‘Upokšnis’ (‘The Brook’) containing the works of 27 pupils of the Fine Arts Department.

 

2004

Painter and stained glass artist, Eglė Valiūtė (sixth alumni of the Fine Arts Department), is awarded the Lithuanian National Prize.

Joskaudė Pakalkaitė (10th form) wins the second place in the 16–18 age group at the 6th international exhibition ‘Harmony’ in Riga, Latvia. Eleven pupils of the Fine Arts Department are awarded certificates.

In Tokyo, the Japanese Quality Assurance Organization, International Certification Network and the UNICEF Office for Japan organize the 5th International Children’s Drawing Contest on the Environment. Barbora Juravičiūtė (6th form) wins the First prize in the category of International works.

Antanas Žygavičius (8th form), Urtė Bakaitė (2nd form) and Aistis Kavaliauskas (6th form) become winners and are awarded medals at the 35th World Schoolchildren’s Art Exhibition of Drawings in Taipei, Taiwan.

Pupil Kristina Karnilavičiūtė (5th form) of the Fine Arts Department is awarded a certificate at the 6th international competition of plastic art for children and young people, ‘The Child and the Dog’, in Chestochowa, Poland.

In December, an exhibition by teacher Giedrė Gučaitė and her pupils opens in Vienna, Austria. Works by 21 authors are displayed.

 

2005

The painter, graphic artist, and writer, Jurga Ivanauskaitė (twelfth graduate class of the Fine Arts Department), is awarded the Lithuanian National Prize.

The Publishing house ‘Krantai’ (‘Coasts’) publishes a two-part collection of art works ‘Under the Star of M. K. Čiurlionis’ by 32 pupils of the M. K. Čiurlionis School of Art.

Pupils of the Fine Arts Department, Renata Pavtel (9th form) and Akvilė Vinikaitė (9th form), are declared winners and awarded medals at the 36th World Schoolchildren’s Art Exhibition of Drawings in Taipei, Taiwan.

In Tokyo, the Japanese Quality Assurance Organization, the International Certification Network and the UNICEF Office for Japan organize the 6th International Children’s Drawing Contest on the Environment. Ieva Kokštaitė (5th form) is awarded Certificate of Honorable Mention, Adelė Laučiūtė (3rd form) wins the First prize in the ‘International Section’ category.

Greta Sabaliauskaitė (7th form) wins the first place, Karolina Jankoic (8th form) and Erikas Perlikovskis (8th form) the second, and Domas Sikorskis (7th form) is awarded a 2nd degree certificate at the 3rd International Biannual ‘The Art of Book’ in Gliwice, Poland. The M. K. Čiurlionis School of Art is awarded a Special Prize.

Pupils in the 7th form: Lukas Balčytis, Monika Balnytė, Kristina Karnilavičiūtė, Dominyka Sidabraitė, and Laura Vagrytė are awarded certificates at an International Competition of Children and Youth in the name of Antanas Mončys.

On 7–12 March, 38 paintings, drawings and graphic art works are displayed at an exhibition by pupils of the Fine Arts Department at Interlochen Arts Academy, Michigan, USA.

On 25 May an exhibition by pupils of the Fine Arts Department opens at the Youth Center of Chicago in the M. K. Čiurlionis Gallery. 38 paintings, drawings and graphic art works are displayed.

The Ministry of Education and Science organizes a national art exhibition dedicated to the National Children’s Song Festival. 190 works by pupils from all over Lithuania reach the final stage, among them 41 works by pupils of the Fine Arts Department. Vytenis Baura (11th form), a pupil of the Fine Arts Department is declared Laureate of the exhibition.

In September, an exhibition of works by pupils (9-12th forms) of the Fine Arts Department is held at the Centre of Children’s Literature in Martynas Mažvydas library.

The National M. K. Čiurlionis School of Art, Vilnius Children and Youth Art School, and the Art School of Brandenburg gallery ‘Sonnensegel’ participate in a joint Lithuanian – German pro-ject, ‘Together in Europe’. Joint exhibitions of the pupils’ artworks are held in Brandenburg Children and Youth Art Gallery ‘Sonnensegel’ and in Vilnius ‘Koridorius’ (‘The Corridor’) gallery.

A sculpture competition ‘The Spirit of Women’ is held at the International Museum of Children’s Art in Oslo, Norway. 12 pupils of the Fine Arts Department are awarded Special Certificates.

In December an event is held at Vilnius Congress Hall to mark the 60th anniversary of the School. An exhibition of works by pupils of the Fine Arts Department is opened. 17 works of ceramics, 32 paintings, 8 drawings, 5 watercolours, 23 works of graphic art and 12 sculptures are exibited.

 

2006

An exhibition ‘Let’s Preserve Lithuanian Castles, Manor Houses and Parks’ is held at Verkiai Palace and Panemunė Castle – artworks by 25 authors are on show.

In October, an exhibition – competition ‘Vanishing Wooden Vilnius’ is held at Vilnius Children’s and Youth’s Art Gallery. Works by 19 pupils from the 8–12th forms of the Fine Arts Department are displayed.

In January, an exhibition of ceramics called ‘Dragons and Heroes’ is held to commemorate the defenders of Lithuanian freedom.

Annually at the autumn equinox, starting in 2006, the young followers of Čiurlionis and other schoolchildren of Vilnius have created an intricate luminous pattern from light and darkness on the Neris embankment near King Mindaugas Bridge.

In 2007, a ‘Fire Grass-snake’ (by Mindaugas Aliukas, a graduate of the Fine Arts Department, 1989) is let afloat on the Neris River. In 2009, at the spring equinox (the topic: ‘Altars of Šventaragis’) Vilnius schoolchildren light luminous signs, in the centre of which there are ceramic altars made by pupils of the 7th form of the Fine Arts Department. The same year at the autumn equinox (the topic: ‘Legends of Vilnius’), the first illuminated sculptures float down the Neris River: ‘The Crown of Duke Gediminas’ (by Mindaugas Aliukas and recent graduates of the Fine Arts Department Marija Olšauskaitė and Vytenis Burokas) and ‘The Nest’ (a joint work by pupils of the Fine Arts Department and their friends). At the autumn equinox in 2010 (the topic: ‘Lullabies for Vilnius’), 7 luminous sculptures float down the Neris River: ‘A Tree’ (by Vytenis Burokas), ‘A Small Duck’ (by Daumantas Kučas, a graduate of the Fine Arts Department, 1993), ‘A ship’ (by Mindaugas Aliukas), ‘A Star’ (by Aušra Jasiukevičiūtė), ‘The Sleeping One’ (by Vėjas Aliukas, the 11th form pupil of the Fine Arts department), ‘A Small Horse’ (by Jonas Aliukas, a 9th form pupil of the Fine Arts Department) and ‘A Little Star’ (a joint work by pupils of the Fine Arts Department and the Music Department).

 

2007

The painter-sculptor Gediminas Urbonas (the 17th alumni of the Fine Arts Department) and his wife, the graphic artist, Nomeda Urbonienė, are awarded the Lithuanian National Prize.

Under the co-ordination of the Ministry of Education and Science, the National M. K. Čiurlionis School of Art holds a national exhibition of plastic art, ‘Children create Lithuania’. Among 351 entries, 50 works are by pupils of the Fine Arts Department.

On 15 February – March 1, at the invitation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs Petras Vaitiekūnas, an exhibition of artworks by pupils of the Fine Arts Department is held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 22 works of graphic art, 6 drawings, 32 paintings and 5 works of ceramics are on show.

On 3–13 March, on the premises of the Administration of Vilnius municipality, pupils of the Fine Arts Department hold an exhibition to commemorate the day of the Restoration of Lithuanian Independence. 12 works of graphic art, 16 paintings and 7 works of ceramics are on display.

In June-July, the Foundation in support of Lithuanian musicians organizes the 5th international festival of arts ‘Druskininkai Summer with M. K. Čiurlionis 2007’. An exhibition by pupils of the Fine Arts Department at the ‘Lietuva’ health spa presented 13 works of graphic art, 12 paintings, 3 watercolours, and 5 drawings.

In September, an exhibition ‘Along the Paths of Čiurlionis’ by pupils of the Fine Arts Department presents works of 24 authors at the Lithuanian National Philharmonic.

In October, an exhibition by pupils of the 2-7th forms is held at the Centre of Children’s Literature at Martynas Mažvydas National Library. 28 works are on display.

In October, the 11th international art contest ‘Exlibris Hlohovec’, for children aged 12–15, is held in Slovakia. Pupil of the Fine Arts Department, Rimantas Juškaitis (8th form), wins the third place.

In December, an exhibition of ceramics ‘The Spires of Vilnius’ is held at Vilnius Gallery of St. John’s Street. 39 works by pupils of the Fine Arts Department are exhibited.

In December, an exhibition by pupils of the Fine Arts Department ‘Letters to Friends. Vilnius – Minsk‘ is held at the Minsk State Art Gymnasium-College to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between Lithuania and Belarus. 26 works of graphic art and 9 paintings are on display.

 

2008

Painter-sculptor,DeimantasNarkevičius(the15thalumniofthe FineArtsDepartment),isawardedtheLithuanianNationalPrize.

In January – March, an exhibition takes place at the Centre of Children’s Literature at Martynas Mažvydas National Library. 36 drawings and paintings by the 7th form pupils of the Fine Arts Department are on display.

In April 22 works by pupils of the Fine Arts Department are exhibited at Vilnius J. Vienožinskis Art School at an exhibition of academic drawing.

In September, an exhibition ‘Our Heritage and I’ is held at Vilnius Children’s and young people’s Art gallery. 14 works by pupils of the Fine Arts Department are on display.

In November, an exhibition ‘Folk Sculpture in Pupils’ Drawings, Carving, Graphic Art and Painting’ takes place at the ‘Mūza’ gallery. Pupils of the Fine Arts Department exhibit 7 works of graphic art, 14 paintings, 22 drawings, and photographs of 25 sculptures.

The Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Education and Science announce a national competition of pupils’ art on the occasion of the ’90th Anniversary of Lithuanian Army Restoration’. In the ‘Logo’ category, out of 62 entries, Rimantas Juškaitis (10th form) comes first, and Raimonda Diskaitė (12th form) comes second. In the contest of paintings, collage, drawings, sculpture, and ceramics – among 339 entries – eight pupils of the Fine Arts Department are awarded ‘Laureate’ certificates in three age categories.

 

2009

The Stained-Glass Hall of the Fine Arts Department is named after Antanas Garbauskas.

From January 2009 to January 2010, an exhibition by pupils of the Fine Arts Department takes place at the Lithuanian Embassy in Minsk. 14 works of graphic art, drawing and collage are on display. A message of thanks is received from the Ambassador.

In July, the Fine Arts Department and the Minsk State Art Gymnasium-College arrange in Vilnius a mutual plein-air ‘Let’s Draw Vilnius Together’. The plein-air is followed by an exhibition of artworks by 15 pupils of the Fine Arts Department and by 20 pupils from Minsk.

In September, an annual plein-air, dedicated to M. K. Čiurlionis’ birthday takes place in Druskininkai. The participants are pupils from the 11–12th forms of the Fine Arts department. An exhibition ‘Along the Paths of Čiurlionis’ is arranged with 24 works on display.

In November, a collection of artworks by pupils of the Fine Arts Department is exhibited in Lebanon at ‘The 3rd Beirut International Biennial for Children’s Paintings 2009’.

On 4–20 December, an exhibition of artwork by pupils of the Fine Arts Department is held at the Minsk State Art Gymnasium-College to commemorate the ninetieth anniversary of the Minsk school. 12 works of ceramics, 7 paintings, 3 works of textile, and 17 works of graphic design are exhibited.

At the 40th World Schoolchildren’s Art Exhibition In Taipei, Taiwan, Ula Petraitytė (aged 6, studying at ‘Mini Mūza’) is awarded Silver Medal. Six pupils are awarded certificates.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vilnius University, and the Fine Arts Department of the National M. K. Čiurlionis School of Art, carry out a joint project ‘Our fairy-tales for the children of Afghanistan’. Pupils from the 5–8th forms of the Fine Art Department illustrate six Lithuanian fairy tales: ‘An Orphaned Girl in a Draw-Well’, ‘Of a Merchant’s Son and a Swan’, ‘Gold’, ‘How the Sister Saved her Brother’, ‘A Magic Apple Tree’, ‘A Fairy Tale of an Orphaned Girl Elenytė and Jonukas the Lamb’, which are translated into the Dari language, published in separate booklets by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and presented to children in the Province of Ghor in Afghanistan. Exhibitions of the illustrations are held at Seimas, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and in the Province of Ghor in Afghanistan.

Since 2009 the School has participated in ‘World Art Chicago’ – An International Arts Exchange Opportunity. The initiators, organizers and partners are organizations of the city of Chicago, sister organizations, and the Chicago Olympic Committee 2016. The project provides the participants with the opportunity to view each other’s artwork worldwide in the on-line gallery and discuss the work. The theme for 2009 is ‘Olympic Values’. 10–14 year-old schoolchildren from 26 schools in various countries have participated. In the on-line gallery of the Fine Arts Department of M. K. Čiurlionis School of Art, 16 teachers present 122 works by pupils from the 3rd –8th forms. There was also information about the history of the School, its traditions, the curricula, and the search for artistic expression.

 

2010

In January - July, an exhibition is held at Vilnius University Hospital. Pupils of the Fine Arts Department display 31 works of graphic art, drawing and collage.

In January - December, an exhibition ‘Old Vilnius’ takes place at the Lithuanian Embassy in Minsk. Works of graphic art by fourteen pupils of the Fine Arts Department are on display.

In March – April 28 works are exhibited by the 4-7th form pupils at an exhibition ’Lithuanian Legends’ at the Vasileostrovskiy Youth centre in St. Petersburg, Russia.

In April – May, a national children’s sculpture exhibition-installation ‘The Army of the Lithuanian Grand Duchy at the Battle of Grunwald’ is held to commemorate the 600th anniversary of the Battle of Grunwald. The Fine Arts Department displays 85 sculptures among 616 works by 500 authors. The exhibition takes place at ‘Mūza’ gallery, Vingis park, Vilnius Officers’ Club, Birštonas, Biržai, Vievis, and Elektrėnai.

In June, The 5th International Biannual ‘The Art of Book’ is held in Gliwice, Poland. Six pupils of the Fine Arts department are selected to enter the contest. The 8th form pupils Veronika Guželytė, Rokas Baltakys and Urtė Bakaitė are awarded prizes. Five pupils of the 8th form are awarded certificates.

In commemoration of the 600th anniversary of the Battle of Grunwald, on 6–12 July, an international plein-air project ‘Grunwald 2010’ takes place in Bialystok, Poland. The participants are: 5 pupils from the National M. K. Čiurlionis School of Art, 5 pupils from the Minsk State Art Gymnasium-College and 5 pupils from the Suprasle Arthur Grottger Art Lyceum. The project aims to introduce the young participants from Poland, Lithuania and Belarus to the common history of the three nations; to establish ties between the inheritors of the shared history; to paint a joint picture based on the artwork ‘The Battle of Grunwald’ by Jan Mateika, and on the annals in the three countries. The picture is supposed to express young people’s views on history and painting, and their significance in the modern world. At the plein-air, a picture of 3X7 metres in size is created and, later, exhibited in Bialystok, Vilnius and Minsk.

The Education Supply Centre of Lithuania publishes a music-teaching aid by Zina Puišienė ‘Phantasy after Carnival of Animals’ by C.Saint-Saens. The illustrations are by pupils of the Music, and Fine Arts Departments.

On the initiative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a booklet in the Georgian language ’The Legend of Vilnius’ is published and dedicated to the children of Georgia. The illustrations are by twenty pupils from the 7–9th forms of the Fine Arts Department.

Ten pupils from the 8–9th forms of the Fine Arts Department receive invitations to Krzyzhowa, Poland, to participate in a plein-air ‘Paths of Art in Europe. We – European children’ at the International House of Youth Meetings (6–15 August).

In September, an exhibition ‘Lithuanian Fairy Tales’ is arranged in Ulefoss and Sanderfjord towns, Norway. 21 works by the 5–8th form pupils of the Fine Arts Department are on display.

In September, an exhibition is held in Marcinkonys to mark the 35th anniversary of the Čepkeliai reserve. 19 paintings by the 8th form pupils of the Fine Arts Department are exhibited. All the paintings were painted during the summer practice at the Čepkeliai reserve.

On 15 November, an exhibition of M. K. Čiurlionis art is opened in the Milan Royal Palace ‘Palazzo Reale‘. The organizers of the exhibition pay great attention to the education of children and youth: they equip a special art laboratory, in which lectures on Čiurlionis‘ art are available, and where Italian children, inspired by the great Lithuanian artist, have an opportunity to draw and create. A collection of twenty works ‘Along the paths of Čiurlionis‘ by pupils of the Fine Arts Department, is also displayed there.

The Fine Arts Department participates in an international art project ‘Street Artists‘, the aim of which is to develop the forms of street art, discourage vandalism and raise the consciousness of schoolchildren. The project seeks to foster the development of the 16-18 year-old pupils, and is linked to the phenomenon of graffiti, which is an extremely pressing issue and requires an urgent solution. The project partners are: the first Italian university implementing the ‘open university‘ model, the Universite degli Studi Guglielmo Marconi – Telematica; an art-oriented organisation Culture Circle; Opportunities Aid Foundation; J. Vienožinskis Art School; The National M. K. Čiurlionis School of Art; the Instituto Statale di Arte e Liceo ArtisticoRoma 2; the Institute of Tourism Studies in Malta; Evangelisches Gymnasium und Werkschulheim in Vienna; Rezzable Productions Ltd – experts in virtual, immediate, 3D, and immerse environments.

The school participates in the project ‘World Art Chicago‘ – An International Arts Exchange Opportunity. The theme for 2010 is ‘One People One Earth – Our Home‘. Artwork by pupils of the 10–14 and 15–18 age groups are presented in two Internet galleries at the address:

http://worldartchicago.digication.com/portfolio/directory.digi.

Nineteen teachers present the works of 150 pupils of the Fine Arts Department. The sites of M. K. Čiurlionis School of Art are the most popular in this project: 28,000 hits in a year.

Vykintas Každailis (the thiry-eighth alumni of the Fine arts Department) and his team win two prestigious BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) awards for the creation of the game ‘Shrunk‘.

A retrospective exhibition ‘From A to 50‘, dedicated to the 65th anniversary of M. K. Čiurlionis School of Art and the 50th anniversary of the Fine Arts Department, opens in Vilnius Art Academy expo-halls ‘Titanic‘ and in the expo pavillion ‘Gobi/Open-air expo‘ of the Ceramics Art Centre. 409 works of the pupils are on display.

 

2011

Jurga Ivanauskaitė Creative Heritage Centre organizes a national schoolchildren’s art competition ‘Poster. Jurga Ivanauskaitė (1961 – 2007) Crossroads’. The 12th form pupils of the Fine Arts Department win all the main prizes: Jūratė Narmontaitė – first, Kristina Karnilavičiūtė – second, Algė Kavaliauskaitė and Anastasija Sosunova – third.

A pupil of the Fine Arts Department Arūnė Barzdėnaitė (11th form) is awarded the main prize, Jurgis Tarabilda (12th form) and Rūta Ratkutė (9th form) are awarded prizes at a children’s and youth art exhibition ‘A Hundred Letters to Čiurlionis’, organized by Vilnius Children’s and Young People‘s Art Gallery and Vilnius Municipality.

 

Since 1995 the teachers and pupils of the Fine Arts Department have arranged approximately 30 personal and group exhibitions at the ‘Mūza‘ gallery and other public venues in Lithuania and abroad each year.

All the premises of the National M. K. Čiurlionis School of Art are decorated with artwork by the pupils of the Fine Art Department: paintings, sculptures, and works of graphic art or textiles.