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Intangible Cultural Heritage - Slovenian Beekeeping
The tradition of beekeeping has been recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage as of 2022 []. This piece of cultural heritage goes back to the 18th century when Maria Theresa (empress of the Habsburg Empire) opened one of the first schools for beekeeping in Vienna. The first appointed teacher, Slovenian Anton Janša, was an expert on the subject and became a pioneer of modern apiculture. This began a piece of cultural heritage that can be seen today as Slovenia boasts over “11,000 beekeepers within its population of just 2 million.” With a country so steeped in beekeeping culture and practice, it’s no wonder that the Slovenian Beekeepers’ Association fought for World Bee Day beginning in 2014. In 2017, the UN approved World Bee Day for May 20th, in honor of Anton Janša’s birthday. This exposure has not only provided insight to the world about Slovenian beekeeping, but has provided the beekeepers with tourism to keep their apiary’s running. Some apiaries have thousands of visitors a year, many of which are tourists interested in the Slovenian beekeeping tradition and honey. 

“The importance of beekeeping in Slovenia is reflected in its rich terminology and in academic, literary and folklore texts (with printed works from the eighteenth century onwards disseminating knowledge, prose, poetry and sayings related to beekeeping), art (with the characteristic painted panels and religious and secular motifs on the hives) and architecture (with the construction of traditional apiaries).”. Many beekeepers believe part of the success of this cultural heritage, besides the practices and tools, is to do with the Carniolan honey bee, which is now protected in Slovenia. Due to this variety of bee being hardy, disease resistant, and docile, they are part of the reason that beekeeping has been so successful in Slovenia.

Not only is the act of beekeeping a part of the Slovenian cultural heritage, but so is the art found on the kranjichi, or apiaries. These wooden boxes were sometimes painted by traveling artists in payment for housing or food, and often provide a window into the cultural norms of the time. For instance, the museum in Slovenia curated by Vida and Joze Koželj has apiary art that dates back to 1750, with themes such as religion, folk tales, advice, and even romantic adversaries.

History
Margaret and Edith Tadd founded the Art Club of St. Petersburg in 2017, which eventually grew into the Morean Arts Center. This effort began as a way for Margaret and Edith to honor Edith’s husband and Margaret’s father J. Liberty Tadd. The mother and daughter pair wanted to create a space so that artists in their community could be creative, show their work and just appreciate and discuss art.

Located near the kapok tree by what is now the Museum of Fine Arts, the Morean Arts Center began in 1917 as the Art Club of St. Petersburg. It remained there until a merger in 1972 with the Art Center Association, where it moved to 7th Street and took on the new name The Arts Center. After 20 years, thanks to a generous donation from Beth Morean, the Arts Center was able to purchase and connect multiple properties on the 700 block of Central Avenue, which is where it resides today as the Morean Arts Center after the generous benefactor. 

Chihuly Museum
In 2010, Dale Chihuly agreed to work with the Morean Arts Center on setting up a Chihuly exhibit. The building was originally located on Beach Drive, but moved in 2016 to Central Avenue (next door to the Morean Arts Center building). This partnership began as Chihuly loved the opportunity to use his collection for educational purposes for the Morean Arts Center artists and community. It’s thanks to this addition that the Morean Arts Center was able to open the Morean Glass Studio. According to the Morean Arts Center website, “the proceeds from the Chihuly Collection supported the local arts community.”. This partnership has enabled the Morean Arts Center to not only thrive, but to give more opportunities to artists in the community to study, learn, and showcase their art.

Morean Center for Clay
“Today, the Morean Center for Clay is the largest pottery in the southeast and the 3rd largest in the country.”

Programs
Art classes in clay, glass, and many other mediums are offered, along with many programs for children and adults to come together as a community and learn about art.

Operation: Art of Valor
The Operation: Art of Valor program began in 2018 and is run with the partnership of James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital. This is a free program for veterans only that provides classes in glass blowing, photography, and most recently added ceramics. This is a wonderful program that gives veterans a chance to learn creative skills and build confidence and teamwork skills. 

Memory Mornings
Memory Mornings is offered once a month on a specified date and allows visitors and their caretakers to view the Chihuly Collection before it opens. It not only includes a free tour of the Chihuly Collection, but also includes an art activity for the visitors and caretakers that is inspired by the collection.

Birmingham Botanical Gardens
The Birmingham Botanical Gardens is also a part of the American Public Gardens Association.

Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens
While the City of Birmingham funds the core necessities of the Birmingham Botanical Gardens (BBG), the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens (FBBG) was formed to raise funds for the gardens outside of the day-to-day needs. According to the BBG website, the mission of the FBBG is, “to protect, nurture, and share the Gardens’ countless wonders”. Not only does the FBBG help fundraise for the gardens, they provide outreach and educational programs to help patrons learn about the gardens and its importance to the surrounding community.

Library
Not only does the Birmingham Botanical Garden boast a wide variety of flora, it also hosts a library with over 14,000 books, audiobooks, DVDs, and more. These items include books on gardening for children or adults, horticulture magazines, and even teaching resources with lesson plan materials. The Library also contains an Archives and Rare Book Room that was created in partnership with, “Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens, the City of Birmingham, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, plant groups, garden clubs, and societies.”. The archive contains many different manuscripts, photographs, catalogs, and even plant fossils.

Another interesting and unique aspect of the BBG library is that it hosts a seed exchange program to foster a time honored tradition that helps connect those in the community. This exchange encourages the community to plant native flora and provides an opportunity for the community to bond through sharing both seeds and information. The exchange requires the patron to donate a package of fresh seeds (non-GMO) or make a $10 donation before choosing a packet to take home.