The Children Art Studio St. Cyril and Methody - Bitola is found on 6th October 1981, on the initiative of the former Republic Committee of Culture and Education. The essential goal of the Studio was and remain to be gathering of the young art talents of Bitola's elementary schools and kindergarten facilities. The membership is free of charge, the entry is by the competition that is announced at the beginning of the school year. At the average the Studio counts 50 children each year between 5 and 14 years old.

The very beginning of the Studio work was very humble. At that time the Studio neither possed appropriate facilities nor necessary funds for tool and equipment acquisition. Those problems were resolve thanks to the great enthusiasm. Studio crucial year was 1987, when the special building was appointed to be the permanent seat of the Studio. This building was quite neglected, but nowadays it is a true beauty that adorns  the Old Bitola Bazaar. This facility is a three-storey building possessing children art gallery and two exhibition halls, one of it used for children work. There are two permanent exhibition accommodated in those halls with quite wealthy collection of the Studio named as The Old Macedonian architecture. Those halls also served as an accommodation for other cultural manifestation such as: literal meetings, music manifestation, and children art exhibitions, exhibitions of famous art artists.

The children art studio from year to year enlarges its work thus accomplishing greater successes in its noble work. The greatest success of the Studio is the organizing of the international festival The Small Montmartre of Bitola with its additional manifestations: international exhibition of children paintings Bitola, art caravans, summer art schools etc.

The members of this Studio very successfully take participation at almost every important international art manifestations. Valuable awards and notes (golden, silver, bronze medals, special awards, diplomas etc). The Studio was granted with following awards: Tokyo (Japan) 87 medals; China 6 medals, Taiwan 25 awards, Evora (Portugal) 30 awards, Zagreb (Croatia) 3 medals, Golemcow (Poland) 4 medals, Teheran (Iran) 20 awards, Troy (France), Chehochinek (Poland), Zonka (Hungary), Moscow (Russia)….

During those 25 years of existence 1500 children were members of this art school of the Studio. To some of them art became to be their life profession, they became academic artists, among them there are a large number of graduated engineers, doctors, professors, architects….

More than 700 paintings donated

During  the last  2,5 decades the  Children  Art  Studio presents a substantial humanitarian activity,  which  consist  of  donation  of  paintings  of  its  abundant  collections  to  the children hospitals,  schools,   institutions,   companies   and   individuals….  More  than  700  paintings  are  donated origin from the collections named as "The Pearls of the Small Montmartre of Bitola" and "Pelister Rhapsody".

A great number of Paintings are granted to the foreign delegations and ambassadors who had visited Bitola, to some important individuals (politicians, cientists, writers, sportiest etc) from Bitola and from Republic of Macedonia. This noble mission of the Studio is foreseen to continue.

New year and kolede ceremonies

Beside it regular work  with young talents from Bitola the Children Art Studio during the last 25 years had some other additional activities. On the New Year Eve the Studio organizes for several times the manifestation called "Santa Claus in Old Bitola Bazaar". This manifestation took place on the plateau in front of the Children Art Gallery, with more than 3-4 thousands citizens who were there with their children.Santa Claus was always there, and from the balcony of the Children Art Gallery he send the New Year Message and he granted the kinds with a presents provided by the Studio.

The Children Art Studio solemnly and in the spirit of the Christians religious rituals celebrates the great festive of Kolede.The first Kolede's fire was set in the far 1989. It was a brave venture, regarding the fact that at that time we still live in a one-party communist system.One distinguished craftsman from the Old Bazaar each year lightened the Kolede fire, on a traditional way. Around the fire the older visitors were having a hot "rakija" (alcohol), and the children have rolls, balloons, candies, chocolates and other gifts provided by the Studio.The Studio will cherish these old Kolede traditions with love ever after.  

Arrangement of the old Bitola bazaar

The Children Art Studio made a great contribute to the ennoblement and arrangement of the Old Bitola Bazaar, which is considered to be among the most famous cultural-history monuments of Bitola and which is far famous by its beauty.

At first the Studio arranged the place in front of the Children Art Gallery, which is located in the heart of the Old Bazaar. On this location, in 1992 the Studio supported by its sponsors built a fountain with three water flows, which supply the inhabitants, on their great pleasure, with pure  Pelister's water. This fountain is surrounded by three branches, which serve for the rest of all bazaar visitors.On such arranged plateau a mast was placed 10 meters high, which held a flag on many occasions most of all at the opening ceremonies of "The Small Montmartre of Bitola".

The most magnificent embellishment of The Old Bitola Bazaar is the wall-fresco named as "Awakening", a masterpiece of the participants of Summer Art School of Bitola's Montmartre. That is the reason why the citizens will continue to accept cordially those arrangement activities of the Studio in the future. 

Rich and representative advertising material

Since the very beginning of the work until the present day the Studio publishes a very rich and representative advertising material. Thus, each festival "The Small Montmartre of Bitola" is followed by these publications: brochure about the international competition "Bitola", a color invitation, a color placard, a catalogue, a bulletin with plenty color photos…

Every participant and art pedagogue is granted with a complete working clothes (a hat, a T-shirt and a bag), pens, pendants, badges etc. Such representative advertising material is prepared for each exhibition of the Studio in the country and abroad. Such presentation played a great and important role regarding the affirmation of "The Small Montmartre of Bitola" around the world.

Three documentary film are made telling the story about  "The Small Montmartre of Bitola": 30 minutes film was made in 1986 by the Macedonian Radio-Television Network  redaction of Turkey language, The second film was made by "Orbis" Network from Bitola lasting 30 minutes. The third film was made by the Children Art Studio on the occasion of the annual jubilee of 15th Anniversary of "The Small Montmartre of Bitola". The duration of this film is one and a half-hour.

Bitola's  montmartre and broadcasting

The Children Art Studio established fruitful cooperation with broadcasting networks. Affirmative articles regularly are published in a press as well as in the broadcasting networks about the numerous activities and successes of the Studio and "The Small Montmartre of Bitola"Beside the domestic broadcast networks, such articles speaking about Bitola's manifestation were published in any country participants of "The Small Montmartre of Bitola".

The most famous children art manifestation of the world "The Small Montmartre of Bitola" is represented by documentary films, many special TV and radio shows, articles published in European newsletters and worldwide. Great contribution for the popularity of Bitola's Montmartre was made by the performance of the rich and representative advertising material which is made each year by the organizers the Children Art Studio such as: placards, bulletins, catalogues, T-shirts, hats, pendants with the symbols of "The Small Montmartre of Bitola".