Mission Statement Praesens was launched in spring of 2002 as the first regional journal to focus on the contemporary art of Central Europe in its entirety. Praesens aspires to fill the gap in the region of a forum providing the possibility for a reciprocal exchange of professional information and continuous discourse and debate. In an effort to successfully communicate throughout the region and to a large portion of the rest of the world, with an emphasis on Europe and the US, Praesens is published in English and German. As a guarantee of the authenticity and diversity of the representation generated about us, we have teamed up with a staff of contributing local editors covering each of the other 11 countries represented outside of Hungary, who are each reputed authorities on the contemporary art of their own countries. We are also careful to include the art of minority communities and groups. Praesens wishes to serve to inform equally Central European artists and arts professionals, as well as the greater audience, just in the same way as towards the development of the regional art scene and art market. All of this comes at the most significant juncture in time, when a number of the nations of the region are being (re)integrated into Europe and the European Union (EU), which we believe is just as important on a cultural level as on an economic one.