Over 90 visual arts representatives submitted an open letter to the Ministry of Culture

OPEN LETTER

To
Mr. Rumen Radev, Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria,
Mr. Evtim Miloshev, Minister of Culture,
Mr. Galab Donev, Minister of Finance,
Members of the Committee on Culture and Media of the National Assembly,
Mr. Vasil Terziev, Mayor of Sofia Municipality
Dear media,
The professional community in the field of visual arts

Regarding the need for a consistent state policy towards the visual arts in Bulgaria

Dear ladies and gentlemen,
We are addressing you at a time when the problems of the visual arts in Bulgaria can no longer be considered as separate cases, temporary difficulties or administrative misunderstandings.

Chronic underfunding, the lack of a sector strategy, the unpredictability of public support, the outdated financial model, the weak art market and the difficult international presentation outline a deeper problem: the visual arts remain one of the major cultural sectors without a coherent state policy and a long-term vision for development.

The conversation is especially important now – in the context of the budget procedure and the need for cultural policy to be planned strategically, not campaign-wise.

The case of the National Cultural Calendar made the lack of predictability particularly visible. After a procedure was carried out and the results published, it became clear that only a part of the approved projects would receive real funding. Organizations that had invested time, expert work and funds and made commitments to artists, partners and audiences once again found themselves in uncertainty.

A clear public response is needed as soon as possible.

What criteria was used to make the final selection? How was it determined which of the already approved projects will receive funding? What resources were provided when the procedure was announced? How can cultural organizations plan sustainably when the officially announced results subsequently change?

Such unpredictability undermines trust in public funding mechanisms and the sector’s ability to work professionally.

Visual arts are an equal and necessary part of Bulgaria’s cultural system — along with theater, music, cinema, literature, and other cultural spheres. We do not oppose individual arts, but insist on equality and a clear vision of the role of culture in the country’s development.

They are much more than exhibitions, museums, and galleries. They participate in the formation of Bulgaria’s cultural memory, urban environment, education, design, tourism, and international image. Behind them stands a professional environment in which the weakness of one link affects all the others.

The economic importance of culture is also measurable. According to Eurostat data, in 2024, 83,300 people worked in the cultural sector in Bulgaria – 2.8% of total employment in the country and 3.1% more than the previous year. In 2023, nearly 12,900 cultural enterprises were established or 831.76 million euros in added value and over 2.16 billion euros in net turnover.[1]

These figures cover the cultural sector as a whole, but clearly show that culture creates employment, income and economic value. However, there is almost no separate statistics on the specific contribution of the visual arts in Bulgaria.

In recent years, organizations, institutions and independent professionals have proven that Bulgaria has an active visual scene, new audiences and real international potential. Sofia Art Fair is one example – an international platform for contemporary art that meets the Bulgarian and international scenes, attracts audiences and develops dialogue around key professional topics through SAF Talks.

However, one event, one institution or one organization cannot build a sustainable environment on its own. Interaction between all key participants and a consistent public policy are needed.

Bulgaria’s participation in the Venice Biennale is another clear example. For countries around the world, the forum is a tool for cultural diplomacy and international positioning. Bulgarian participation must be prepared with sufficient time, resources and institutional consistency, and not depend on extraordinary efforts by the professional community at the last minute.

International forums, residencies and professional networks are the channels through which Bulgarian art reaches new audiences and markets. The role of this infrastructure is also confirmed by the European Commission’s study on the art market in the EU. Although the Union creates less than 15% of the value of the global art market, 32% of the world’s art exhibitions are held on its territory – over 130 international exhibitions per year. Their importance goes beyond sales: they attract visitors and create additional activity for tourism, transport and the local economy.[2]

Bulgaria continues to have very little reliable data on its own art market. In the same European study, the country is among the countries for which information is missing on some of the comparative indicators of economic activity in the field of artistic creation.[3] Without data on the market, employment, audiences and international presence, no reasoned policy can be built.

There is also a lack of sufficient clarity regarding public funding. In 2024, the National Fund for Culture has indicated separate budgets for visual arts under six programs — a total of BGN 1,289,587, or about 15% of the fund’s program budget. In the programs for 2025 and 2026, the funds are distributed generally by program and it is no longer possible to establish how much of them is intended for and actually reaches the visual arts.[4]

We are not claiming that support has necessarily decreased. We insist that it be traceable. Without such clarity, it is not possible to evaluate the policy being implemented or to have an informed conversation about the real needs of the sector.

The problem is not only in the size of the public resource, but also in the logic of its planning. Short-term project funding keeps organizations in constant uncertainty and does not allow for long-term development.

State and municipal art galleries and museums need conditions for work and development, not just means of survival. Access to them should be encouraged with the same consistency with which the state supports attendance at performing arts.

The need for an active audience development policy is also evident in Eurostat data. In 2022, only 19.7% of people over 16 in Bulgaria visited a cinema, performance or cultural site at least once, compared to 28.6% in 2015. Only 11.2% of the population reported visiting a cultural site — a historical monument, museum, art gallery or archaeological site.[5]

Four out of five people did not participate in any of the observed cultural activities during the year. Access to culture and audience development cannot be left solely to the efforts of individual institutions and organizations.

Private galleries, independent spaces and art exhibitions are also part of the cultural and creative industries. They create employment, pay taxes and connect artists with audiences, collectors and international partners. Their contribution should also be recognized in the economic policies of the state.

Bulgaria still does not have a developed art market and consistent mechanisms for encouraging collecting. Without a functioning market environment, the opportunities for Bulgarian artists to achieve professional success remain limited.

Artists are at the heart of the entire system. The public space continues to have the misconception that an artist creates solely out of love for art and that his work may remain without fair remuneration.

Creative work is work.
The profession of an artist is not a hobby.
The visual artist creates cultural, social and economic value.

Therefore, we insist on:

1. Immediate clarity on the National Cultural Calendar
The Ministry of Culture to publish full information about the available resource, which the criteria for the final selection and financing of already approved projects.

2. National strategy and predictable financing
A long-term strategy for the visual arts should be developed with clear goals, deadlines, responsible institutions and secured resources. Budget and program documents should show what funds are planned and actually provided for the sector.

3. Consistent policy for international presence
Bulgaria’s participation in the Venice Biennale and other significant forums should be prepared and financed on time, and international mobility and professional partnerships should receive sustainable support.

4. Conditions for the development of institutions, the independent scene and the art market
Working tools are needed for art museums and galleries, independent organizations and artists, as well as measures to promote collecting and the art market.

5. Access to visual arts and audience development
Sustainable mechanisms are needed to encourage attendance at museums and art galleries and for children and young people to encounter contemporary art.

6. National statistics and accountability
The state should start regularly collecting and publishing data on the financing, employment, sales, attendance and international presence of the visual arts.

The visual arts need a common voice — not a uniform opinion on all topics, but a shared understanding that the sector needs strategy, predictability, international visibility and respect for the work of artists.

The aim of this position is not a one-day media hype, but the start of a coherent conversation that will lead to concrete solutions.

It is time for the visual arts to be recognized not as a periphery of cultural policy, but as its strategic part.

Notes and sources
[1] Eurostat, Culture statistics — Cultural employment, Table 1, data for 2024; Eurostat, Culture statistics — Cultural enterprises, Table 1, data for 2023. The data on enterprises cover the cultural sector according to the Eurostat statistical classification, not only the visual arts.
[2] European Commission / KEA European Affairs, Study on the Scale and Economic Dimensions of the EU Art Market, 2025, pp. 53–55 and 61–63.
[3] Ibid., comparative data on the economic activity ‘artistic creation’.
[4] National Fund for Culture, Indicative Programme for 2024, pp. 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 and 12; Indicative Programme for 2025; Draft indicative programme for 2026. The amount for 2024 is the sum of the funds foreseen for visual arts under the programmes “Creation”, “Distribution”, “Mobility”, “Debuts”, “Criticism” and “Amateur Art”.
[5] Eurostat, Culture statistics — Cultural participation, Tables 1 and 3, data for 2022. The indicator covers visits to cinemas, performances and cultural sites; “cultural sites” include historical monuments, museums, art galleries and archaeological sites.