TThe ceremonial opening of the exhibition of selected works submitted to the competition of the 51st Children’s May Art Salon was held at the Gallery of the National Museum Kraljevo, on Thursday, May 21, 2026, starting at 12 p.m. At the beginning, the audience was greeted by the author of the exhibition, Nadica Lišanin, senior curator of the National Museum Kraljevo, who emphasized that this manifestation has nurtured the creativity of young people for more than half a century and provided support to art teachers, whose work encourages imagination and authentic expression in children. She highlighted that the Children’s May Art Salon is one of the most significant cultural events in Kraljevo and the wider region, and that through its continuity it represents an important space for the development of children’s creativity. Special thanks were extended to the expert jury, which approached the selection of works professionally and responsibly, consisting of Milica Gračanac, Doctor of Arts – painter, Milica Dukić, Master of Fine Arts, and Zlatan Gračanac, Master of Applied Arts – sculptor.
On behalf of the jury, the president Milica Gračanac addressed the audience, noting that the jury faced a difficult task of selecting 139 of the most successful works from 434 submissions, coming from 13 Primary schools in the area of Kraljevo. She explained that the jury sought authenticity, freedom, and sincerity of children’s expression rather than perfection. “In every work one can see the way a child observes the world, how they feel, and how they want to say something without fear. We tried to recognize emotion, a personal imprint, and a sincere attempt by the child to express what they truly are,” Gračanac emphasized. She encouraged the young authors to preserve their curiosity, freedom, and uniqueness, stressing that this is the greatest value of children’s creativity.
The main award “Milorad Mihailović” was presented to Anđelka Fišić, a seventh‑grade pupil of Primary School “Čibukovački partizani” Kraljevo. The winning work stood out with its experimental approach and successful combination of different techniques into a harmonious whole. The portrait of a girl, possibly a self‑portrait, shows introspection and a more mature approach to the theme compared to most works. The collage, composed of photography, drawing, and painted elements, evokes the intertwining of reality, the virtual world, and dreams, leaving a cheerful and positive impression on the viewer.
Afterwards, Darko Gučanin, director of the National Museum Kraljevo, ceremonially presented awards to the winners of nine equal prizes: Matija Zdravković (Primary School “Dimitrije Tucović” Kraljevo), Uglješa Đoković (Primary School “Dragan Đoković Uča” Lađevci), Pavle Dimitrijević (Primary School “IV Kraljevački bataljon” Kraljevo), Anica Dimanić (Primary School “Vuk Karadžić” Ribnica), Andrej Račić (Primary School “Vuk Karadžić” Beranovac), Petra Miletić (Primary School “Čibukovački partizani” Kraljevo), Mihajlo Jovanović (Primary School “Vuk Karadžić” Ribnica), Petra Trboljevac (Primary School “Vuk Karadžić” Ribnica), and Lara Kaličanin (Primary School “Braća Vilotijević” Kraljevo).
The award for the best selection of pupils’ works was given to Vesna Radović, art teacher at Primary School “Braća Vilotijević” Kraljevo and Primary School “Jovan Cvijić” Sirča.
The award for the most successful school in the field of art education was given to Primary School “Vuk Karadžić” Kraljevo.
The ceremony was enriched with musical performances by pupils of the Music School “Stevan Mokranjac” Kraljevo. At the beginning of the program, the audience enjoyed a guitar performance by Ognjen Minović, while at the end of the ceremony violinist Nađa Dragojlović and pianist Viktor Petrović performed.
Anđelija Petrović
Editor of the Informative Program
of the Official Internet Presentation of the National Museum Kraljevo