Trier University of Applied Sciences, Campus Gemstone and Jewellery, is once again represented at the renowned Legnica SILVER Festival in Poland this year. The traditional event in the historic town of Legnica - located in the south-west of the country - is one of the most important international forums for contemporary jewellery art in Europe.
Legnica, a town with Polish, Czech and German influences, looks back on a long history of precious metal mining. The region is rich in gold, silver and copper deposits, which are still processed in mines and smelters today. The region was almost completely sealed off from the outside world during the Russian occupation and the extracted metals were essentially confiscated and transported away. Since the democratisation and separation from the Eastern Bloc achieved by the Solidarnosc trade union - the Polish freedom movement contributed significantly to the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact and the Russian dictatorship - there have also been significant changes in the production of modern jewellery in Legnica.
The local Galeria Sztuki has specialised in the presentation and promotion of contemporary jewellery for almost four decades - with a particular focus on works made of silver. The Legnica SILVER Festival, which takes place every year in May, is the highlight of these activities. In addition to exhibitions, the gallery organises competitions, seminars, jewellery and fashion shows and workshops that attract an international audience. In particular, the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and the city of Legnica sponsor the festival, but also many of the smaller and larger companies from the metal and jewellery industry have understood the relevance of the festival for the jewellery industry and contribute significantly to the extraordinarily large number of prizes that are awarded annually during the festival.
Long-standing partnership with Legnica
The Gemstone and Jewellery Campus at Trier University of Applied Sciences has been working closely with the festival and the gallery since 2006. The partnership began with an initial exhibition and has continued to deepen ever since. Numerous students and graduates have been honoured or nominated for their work at the festival - proof of the high artistic quality of the education in Idar-Oberstein.
The award-winning alumni include Stefanie Morawetz (BFA), Nikita Kavryzhkin (MFA), Iris Hummer (MFA), Silvia Bellia (MFA), Felicia Mülbaier (MFA), Sharareh Aghaei (MFA), Yftah Avrahami (MFA), Elena Gorbunova (MFA), Alejandra Solar (MFA), Katja Köditz (MA), Taehee In (Dipl.), Ferran Iglesias Barron (MFA), Nils Schmalenbach (BA) and Silke Rehermann (Dipl.). Last year, seven students and alumni were nominated for the competition on the theme of "EMPATHY" and presented in the exhibition. In 2025, Arianaz Dehghan was selected for the competition on the theme "WOW EFFEKT!".
Two exhibitions from Idar-Oberstein
The Gemstone and Jewellery Campus is represented at the festival this year with two exhibitions:
The university's teaching team has also often been involved in the SILVER Festival: Prof. Theo Smeets (head of degree programme) as well as Carolin Denter and Tabea Reulecke, research assistants, have been members of the festival jury in the past. Previous contributions such as Holy Rock by ASTONISH or solo exhibitions by Ulrich Reithofer, Felicia Mülbaier, Nikita Kavryzhkin, Katharina Dettar and Theo Smeets underline the commitment of the Idar-Oberstein campus to the international jewellery scene.
Jewellery art in transition
In the seclusion of Idar-Oberstein, one of the world's most important centres for gemstone processing, students in the Bachelor of Fine Arts, Master of Fine Arts or Master of Continuing Education develop their very own artistic positions. They create innovative works that question existing structures, reinterpret gemstone aesthetics and address social issues. As ROCKstars, they present works that set new standards in terms of both content and form.
The Legnica SILVER Festival is much more than just a stage - it is a space for encounters, exchange and artistic development. The close cooperation with Trier University of Applied Sciences is a win-win situation for both sides - and a strong signal for the future of contemporary jewellery art.
Further information about the Legnica SILVER Festival can be found here.
You can find more information about our AHA graduate group here.
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