The Ján Koniarek Gallery in Trnava (GJK) was established in 1976 as the District Gallery in Trnava and was renamed in 1978 in honour of the sculptor Ján Koniarek. Initially, the Gallery did not have its own premises; its exhibitions were presented at the West Slovak Museum and in other temporary venues. Since 1992, the Gallery has been based in the historic Koppel Villa, formerly the residence of the Jewish Koppel family, where it continues to serve as a stable professional platform for exhibitions, collection development, and research in the field of twentieth- and twenty-first-century visual culture.

In addition to the historic Koppel Villa and its contemporary extension, the Gallery also operates the former status quo ante synagogue of the Jewish community, now functioning as the Centre for Contemporary Art. Together, these two sites offer five exhibition spaces that can be configured flexibly to accommodate a wide range of projects—from individual exhibitions to large-scale presentations spanning multiple galleries. This versatility enables the Gallery to develop a diverse exhibition programme while providing an appropriate setting for exhibitions, educational activities, and public engagement.

The Gallery's programme is guided by a carefully developed curatorial vision that connects established artistic and curatorial practices with current developments in contemporary art and society. The Gallery has a longstanding commitment to supporting emerging and mid-career artists while also paying particular attention to regional artistic contexts. GJK actively presents the work of artists associated with Trnava and its surrounding region through contemporary curatorial approaches, making this an integral part of the Gallery's identity. Its programme is strongly informed by themes of social responsibility, feminism, environmental issues, postcolonial perspectives, new media, and participatory and inclusive approaches to artistic practice. Audience engagement also forms a central part of the Gallery's mission through gallery education, school programmes, and educational activities designed for diverse groups of visitors.

The Gallery is the organiser of the Trnava Poster Triennial, an international competition dedicated to poster design, and Skúter – Young Art Biennial, which focuses on presenting the work of emerging artists. Alongside its exhibition programme, the Gallery is actively engaged in research, publishing, and the development of partnerships with cultural institutions, independent initiatives, and academic organisations.

The Ján Koniarek Gallery is a place where professional expertise is combined with an open and inclusive approach to culture. Its ambition is to be a trusted partner and an active platform for art that critically reflects the contemporary world while recognising its broader public and social responsibilities.

The Koppel Villa, located at 3 Zelený kríček Street in Trnava, serves as the principal seat and administrative headquarters of the Ján Koniarek Gallery (GJK). It is situated in close proximity to the city's historic centre, just beyond the walls of the Urban Heritage Reserve.

The villa was built between 1910 and 1911 as the residence of the entrepreneurial Koppel family. It is a two-storey building with a mansard roof and an L-shaped floor plan. The entrance hall, featuring its original monumental staircase and wooden panelling, leads to the upper floor, where five interconnected rooms are arranged around a central exhibition hall distinguished by its higher ceiling and semicircular windows.

Throughout the twentieth century, the villa served a number of public functions, first as a kindergarten and later as a facility of the National Health Institute. Between 1990 and 1993, the building underwent extensive renovation and adaptation for the Gallery's exhibition and administrative purposes. The first exhibition presented in the renovated premises, Blažej Baláž: 1+1+1=1, opened on 7 May 1992.

On 14 June 2002, a new exhibition wing was inaugurated within the villa complex. Following its further renovation, two permanent exhibitions—Treasures of Home and Ján Koniarek—were opened to the public in November 2007.

The former Neolog Synagogue, located at 2 Halenárska Street in Trnava, is one of the Gallery's principal exhibition venues. This architecturally significant building was constructed between 1891 and 1897 according to the design of the Viennese architect Jakob Gartner. It is a three-aisled basilica with two towers, distinguished by its Orientalist and Historicist architectural elements.

The synagogue was built in response to the rapid growth of Trnava's Jewish community during the nineteenth century. Following the Second World War, it ceased to serve its original religious function. During the second half of the twentieth century, the building was used as a warehouse, and additional floors together with a freight lift were inserted into the interior, substantially compromising its architectural integrity. Despite these alterations, the synagogue was listed in the Central Register of Monuments in 1978.

Between 1993 and 1994, the building underwent a partial restoration initiated by the Gallery. Since June 1994, the former synagogue has served as the Synagogue – Centre for Contemporary Art, one of the Gallery's key venues for exhibitions and public programmes dedicated to contemporary visual art.