Klebelsberg and the Arts
Fence exhibition at HAA's office building
A fence exhibition consisting of fourteen panels, which focuses on the relationship between cultural politician Kuno Klebelsberg and the arts, opened at the office building of HAA on 18 September. The exhibition material is partly based on the collection of the Hungarian Architectural Museum and is also connected to HAA institutions, Pesti Vigadó and Műcsarnok. Attila Turi, President of HAA gave the opening speech, and the exhibition was opened by Anita Kiss-Hegyi, State Secretary for Cultural Relations at the Ministry of Culture and Innovation as well as Péter Szollár, Managing Director of Pro Cultura Nonprofit Ltd., which maintains the Klebelsberg Memorial House.
A fence exhibition consisting of fourteen panels, which focuses on the relationship between cultural politician Kuno Klebelsberg and the arts, opened at the office building of HAA on 18 September. The exhibition material is partly based on the collection of the Hungarian Architectural Museum and is also connected to HAA institutions, Pesti Vigadó and Műcsarnok. Attila Turi, President of HAA gave the opening speech, and the exhibition was opened by Anita Kiss-Hegyi, State Secretary for Cultural Relations at the Ministry of Culture and Innovation as well as Péter Szollár, Managing Director of Pro Cultura Nonprofit Ltd., which maintains the Klebelsberg Memorial House.
In 2025 we commemorate the 150th anniversary of the birth of Count Kuno Klebelsberg, former Minister of Religion and Public Education. On the occasion of the anniversary year, HAA is presenting the late minister's cultural policy legacy at its second fence exhibition after the spring, this time the cultural politician's work related to Hungarian art.
At the opening of the exhibition the musical pieces of Jenő Hubay were performed by Ferenc Szecsődi with piano accompaniment by István Benedekfi. István Kovács' poem "Vigil in a Subterranean Temple" was performed by actor Angela Császár.
Attila Turi emphasized in his speech at the ceremonial opening of the exhibition: "we remember the man who was one of the greatest shapers of Hungarian artistic and cultural life in the 20th century. At the first fence exhibition opened this spring our Academy presented the life of Kuno Klebelsberg, who was born 150 years ago, and the main directions and results of his work as Minister of Culture."
"The second exhibition, which is now opening, primarily takes into account the measures taken by Minister of Culture Klebelsberg related to art, but we must see that art was connected to economic life, education, science and sports through his person in a thousand ways. He declared that Hungary's only chance was if it chose spiritual upliftment: if it regained the dignity of the nation not with weapons, but with spiritual power. If we make the Hungarian homeland great not with the sword, but with culture." - Attila Turi highlighted .
In his speech, Attila Turi also emphasized that the strategy of HAA relies heavily on Klebelsberg's creed. "Klebelsberg Kuno teaches us that culture is not a private matter, but a national strategic issue and a national resource at the same time. Without art there is no spiritual development, and without spiritual development, there is no strong, living nation. That is precisely why our Academy adopted the Klebelsberg creed in its strategy prepared in 2024, which defines one of the primary indicators of our nation's internal values in education," he said.
At the opening of the exhibition the musical pieces of Jenő Hubay were performed by Ferenc Szecsődi with piano accompaniment by István Benedekfi. István Kovács' poem "Vigil in a Subterranean Temple" was performed by actor Angela Császár.
Attila Turi emphasized in his speech at the ceremonial opening of the exhibition: "we remember the man who was one of the greatest shapers of Hungarian artistic and cultural life in the 20th century. At the first fence exhibition opened this spring our Academy presented the life of Kuno Klebelsberg, who was born 150 years ago, and the main directions and results of his work as Minister of Culture."
"The second exhibition, which is now opening, primarily takes into account the measures taken by Minister of Culture Klebelsberg related to art, but we must see that art was connected to economic life, education, science and sports through his person in a thousand ways. He declared that Hungary's only chance was if it chose spiritual upliftment: if it regained the dignity of the nation not with weapons, but with spiritual power. If we make the Hungarian homeland great not with the sword, but with culture." - Attila Turi highlighted .
In his speech, Attila Turi also emphasized that the strategy of HAA relies heavily on Klebelsberg's creed. "Klebelsberg Kuno teaches us that culture is not a private matter, but a national strategic issue and a national resource at the same time. Without art there is no spiritual development, and without spiritual development, there is no strong, living nation. That is precisely why our Academy adopted the Klebelsberg creed in its strategy prepared in 2024, which defines one of the primary indicators of our nation's internal values in education," he said.
September 26, 2025
