From 12–15 May 2026, Serbian curator Hristina Mikić, founder of the Creative Glass Serbia initiative, was a guest of the curatorial programme of the Czech Centres. The initiative aims to preserve, revive, and further develop the rich tradition of glassmaking in Serbia, thereby connecting the country’s cultural heritage with the creative industries and modern innovation.
The development of glassmaking in Serbia is directly linked to the Czech lands – the origins of local glass production date back to 1846, when the first glassworks in Jagodina was established with the direct contribution of several glassmaking families from Bohemia. Later, in 1907, production was relocated to Paraćin.
This year therefore marks the 180th anniversary of the establishment of glassmaking in Serbia, and within this context Ms. Mikić’s visit to the Czech Republic took place. Her main goal was extensive networking and establishing personal contacts with representatives of Czech glassworks and glass studios that could become involved in activities organised by Creative Glass Serbia. These include participation in the international glass symposium Creative Glass Forum, international workshops Creative Glass Labs Serbia, and preparations for the opening of a new glass museum in Paraćin.
During her trip across the Czech Republic, Ms. Mikić visited the Rückl glassworks in Nižbor, Novosad glassworks in Harrachov, the Rautis workshop producing glass bead ornaments in Poniklá, Pačinek Glass in Kunratice u Cvikova, the Kultivar jewellery studio in Liberec, Jaroš Glass Works in Paceřice, the company AG Plus producing glass buttons and costume jewellery, and the Nisa Factory gallery in Jablonec nad Nisou, where GB Beads is also based.
In addition, she visited the Osmý div světa exhibition in Mladá Boleslav, the Museum of Glass and Jewellery in Jablonec nad Nisou, where she viewed the new exhibition within the International Glass Triennial, and the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague, where she saw the Plejády skla exhibition. She attended the opening of Philip Frank’s exhibition In between at the Kuzebauch gallery in Prague, and also visited the Qubus studio as well as the showrooms of Preciosa, Moser, and Crystalex.
One of the initiative’s activities is the organisation of an international glass conference, within which an exhibition on Czech glass titled Osmý div světa will be presented this autumn in cooperation with the Czech Centre in Belgrade. Further collaboration with the Czech Centres is also emerging in the area of artist residencies and participation in international workshops within Creative Glass Labs Serbia.
