Working with and especially accompanying contemporary artists at any stage of their careers is much like working with and taking care of private art collections.

It centers entirely on the artists – the driving creative force behind each body of work – and the artworks themselves. Both require a significant amount of care, time and dedication.

Inspired by the concept of an alphabetical dictionary, this conversation brings together artists and curators from different generations and diverse professional and cultural backgrounds. Five words will serve as starting points for a discussion on what it means today to create, curate, and experience exhibitions, as well as on what keeps art alive.

Since their emergence in the late 1960s, contemporary art fairs have proliferated worldwide and have become indispensable. Today, they aim not only to sell artworks but also to provide a platform for exhibition and communication for galleries and artists, while contributing to the cultural appeal of the cities that host them

Various voices and perspectives converge in this subject matter: from the cinema of Ingmar Bergman and the philosophical inquiries of Ludwig Wittgenstein to the radical gestures of Marina Abramović and the photographic language of Annie Leibovitz. These encounters are also part of Georgi Toshev’s personal exploration—not as a matter of theoretical detachment, but as a series of personal meetings, observations, and experiences that gradually shape his point of view.

What transforms an exhibition into a genuine experience? How is the connection between a work of art and its audience established? And what role do galleries and cultural institutions play in creating spaces for participation, dialogue, and shared understanding? The panel focuses on audiences as active participants in the encounter with contemporary art and examines art mediation as a modern practice that expands the possibilities for communication, interpretation, and cultural engagement. The discussion will also draw upon the experience of the training program "Art Mediation: Education, Connection, Experience"—implemented by the KUB Gallery at Toplocentrala in partnership with the Lachezar Tsotsorkov Foundation—as an example of developing new models for audience engagement and fostering a professional community in the field of art mediation.

A conversation about collecting as both a personal choice and a form of long-term commitment to contemporary art. It explores how a collection is built when the value and standing of artists are still taking shape, and examines the role of the active collector within the art ecosystem—ranging from support for individual artists to the influence that private collections and initiatives can exert on institutions, audiences, and the development of the local art scene.

What does Bulgaria’s participation in the 61st Venice Biennale mean for the artists, the team, and the broader context of Bulgarian contemporary art? A conversation about the project’s scale and impact, its international visibility, and the opportunities beginning to emerge while the Biennale is still underway.

Book Presentation & Meet the Author: Charles Moore

Dr. Charles Moore is a global art curator and writer based in New York. He is the author of The Black Market: A Guide to Art Collecting (2020), 24-Hour Interview (2025) and Global Conversations: Romania (2026).