Dragica Čadež completed her studies in Sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Ljubljana, under Prof. Boris Kalin. The same teacher mentored her through her two-year post-graduate studies. In 1982, she became the first female Slovene sculptor to teach sculpture at the University. She taught at the Pedagogical Academies in Ljubljana and Maribor. She held a series of exhibitions of her own work, while also taking part in sculpture exhibitions alongside other artists both in Slovenia and abroad. She has also been responsible for some public monuments. She has received several prizes, including the 1963 Prešeren Prize for students, the 1973 Zlata ptica, the 1983 first prize Ex Aequo at the 2nd Pančevačka izložba jugoslovanske skulpture.
In 1986, she was again honoured by the Prešeren Fund, in 2003 she received the Žagar Award for Lifetime Achievement in Education, and in 2007 the Mayor of Ljubljana Award for Sculpture at the Ljubljana Town Hall. In 2004 she was commended for her work as a sculpture teacher at the University of Ljubljana. In 2006, she inaugurated the new Ceramics Section at ZDSLU and was one of the initiators of the 1st International Triennale of Ceramics - UNICUM 09. Currently in 2012, she is directing the Triennale of Ceramics - UNICUM. She lives and works in Ljubljana.
