Talent Showcase in Beregszász
On June 10, the Ferenc Rákóczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian University hosted the Transcarpathian showcase of the TalentPalette program. The event, organized in cooperation between the NGO Pro Cultura Subcarpathica and the National Institute of Culture of Hungary, provided dancers, singers, folk tradition bearers, and visual artists with an opportunity to present their talents while receiving professional feedback and guidance from mentors.
The participants were welcomed by Mihály Zalai, Director of Special Programs at the National Institute of Culture. In his speech he referred to the biblical Parable of the Talents, emphasizing that although people are endowed with different abilities, what truly matters is how they develop and make use of them.
“It is not important how many talents someone has received, but rather what they do with them, how they develop and utilize them. The TalentPalette program was created to help participants recognize and unfold these values,” he stated.
He added that one of the most important goals of the program is to provide professional support rather than competition, enabling participants to develop their skills, build relationships, and learn from one another. He also emphasized that supporting Hungarian communities throughout the Carpathian Basin and ensuring that cultural programs reach Hungarians across borders are important missions of the National Institute of Culture.
The audience was also greeted by Ildikó Orosz, President of the Ferenc Rákóczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian University and NGO Pro Cultura Subcarpathica. In her address, she highlighted the community-building power of art.
“Only those nations that know their own soul are capable of understanding the souls of others. Today is also about this. Folk songs, dances, and collective creativity are values that we can pass on to future generations,” she emphasized.
The president also pointed out that amateur artistic movements have always played a significant role in community building in Transcarpathia. She recalled that many cultural initiatives, theatre groups, and artistic communities later developed into influential institutions, proving that talent development and collaborative creativity create lasting value.
The performances were evaluated by two distinguished professionals: László Szilágyi, dance instructor and associate professor at the Ferenc Rákóczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian College of Higher Education, and József Ivaskovics, recipient of the Hungarian Heritage Award, music teacher, choir conductor, and composer. The mentors provided each participant with personalized professional advice.
A total of fourteen performances were presented during the showcase. The program featured solo dances, group choreographies, folk music performances, and visual art creations.
Students of the Princess Ballet and Dance Studio appeared on stage with several choreographies, including Impulse, Fire, Marionette Puppets, Little Sun, The Last Dance, Romeo and Juliet, Little Spiders, and Gypsy Celebration. Solo performances were given by Kira Rebrik, Krisztina Hripta, and Vanessza Pallagi.
In the visual arts category, the audience had the opportunity to become acquainted with the works of Csaba Kutasi from Tiszapéterfalva. His creations were evaluated by Hungarian mentor Csilla Halassy, sculptor and visual artist. Kutasi’s work primarily focuses on realistic representation, human figures, portraits, and scenes from everyday life.
Folk musical traditions were represented by the Tulipán Vocal Ensemble, operating at the Kisgejőc branch of the Tulipán Hungarian Folk Art School, which performed folk songs from Rimóc. The KMKSZ Pensioners’ Club of Chop also achieved success with its traditional folk presentation entitled Spinning, Husking and Barn-floor Treading.
Following the presentations, the mentors delivered an overall professional evaluation, after which all participants received certificates. The awards were presented by Ildikó Orosz and Mihály Zalai.
At the conclusion of the event, the two productions selected to represent Transcarpathia at the TalentPalette Carpathian Basin Meeting were announced. The event, to be held in Kecskemét on October 17–18, 2026, will feature the Tulipán Vocal Ensemble and the Little Spiders choreography of the Princess Ballet and Dance Studio.
According to the organizers, the most important message of TalentPalette is that nurturing talent is a shared responsibility. The program simultaneously serves individual development, strengthens communities, and enriches the cultural life of Transcarpathian Hungarians. The Beregszász showcase once again proved that the language of art connects generations and creates lasting value for the community.