Curiosity Studios – a space where we can remind ourselves that curiosity is not reserved for childhood. It’s a spark we all carry within us; sometimes it just needs a gentle awakening.
You may have already experienced the Curiosity Studios at our events several times. We first introduced them at the Festival of Curiosity on September 13–15, 2025, when the city pulsed with events, culture, discovery, play, and shared experiences throughout the entire weekend. It was there that the Curiosity Studios were first presented as a place to experiment, touch ideas, and look at familiar things with new eyes.
At the Festival of Curiosity, you could paint by numbers, explore Trenčín’s landmarks—such as Trenčín Castle, the synagogue, or the Fiesta Bridge—through coloring pages, play the drums, or even create your own puppet theatre for an audience. The studios became small islands of imagination in the middle of the city—a place where perfection didn’t matter, only the joy of creating.
We set them up again during Sounds of Democracy on November 14, 2025. This time, the Curiosity Studios took on a new dimension. Alongside playfulness came reflection, gratitude, and an awareness of the values that shape our society. In one of the studios, you could jingle keys and commemorate November 1989—the moment when our parents and grandparents fought for freedom and democracy. In another space, you could leave your own message about what freedom means to you. Moments like these remind us that freedom is not a given, and that creativity can be a path to understanding it more deeply.
Most recently, the Curiosity Studios were part of the Light Art Festival on April 10–11, where they naturally connected with both the theme and the playfulness of the event. Since light was at the heart of the festival, it became part of the creative process in our studios as well. In one studio, a shadow theatre came to life, where children and adults could create their own stories using scenes of Trenčín, the castle, dragons, princes, princesses, fairy-tale characters, and animals. Simple hand movements turned into stories, and visitors became creators of their own small stages.
In another studio, a large coloring mural for the Trenčín 2026 project—illustrated by Jozef Glaba—was created. Here too, light played a key role. You painted using UV markers that glowed under blue ultraviolet light, transforming drawings into small luminous surprises. What might seem like ordinary coloring became an experience where light was not just a backdrop, but an essential part of the play.
The Curiosity Studios are created with a simple yet meaningful intention—to awaken the child within us. The part that isn’t afraid to try, to ask questions, to play, and to create without fear of making mistakes. We believe that in moments like these, we can discover not only joy, but also the art within us that may have been quietly waiting for its opportunity.
Trenčín 2026 brings new experiences that connect us across generations. The Curiosity Studios are one of the places where this happens naturally—where children, parents, grandparents, and even passersby create side by side. Each in their own way, yet all with the same desire to discover.
We will certainly bring the Curiosity Studios back again. We believe that together, we will continue to awaken curiosity, playfulness, and the courage to create. Because sometimes, all it takes is a shadow, a color, a sound, or a simple memory—and suddenly we realize that art is not far away. It is in our hands, in our imagination, and in our willingness to see the world with open eyes.
