The Second Edition of Sofia Art Fair Attracts Global Attention and Strengthens Bulgaria’s Position in the Cultural Sector
The second edition of Sofia Art Fair (held from October 2nd to 5th, 2025), had been under the motto IMAGINE. Imaginary Worlds and Possible Realities established the forum as a leading platform for contemporary art in Bulgaria and Southeast Europe. The event became a vibrant, dynamic environment where art, technology, business, and diplomacy converge. Sofia Art Fair 2025 presented art as more than an aesthetic experience — as a force that shapes urban environments and collective imagination. “Our goal was to demonstrate that Sofia can be not only a host, but an active creator of cultural value on the global map,” shared Suni Danadzha, founder and Executive Director of the Sofia Breathes Foundation.
More than 3,500 visitors passed through the exhibition spaces of the “John Atanasoff” Forum at Sofia Tech Park, where 27 galleries and over 80 participants from 14 countries took part — Bulgaria, France, the Netherlands, Hungary, Italy, Austria, Spain, Cheh Republic, Romania, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Latvia, the USA, and the UK. For the first time, organized groups of international guests travelled to Sofia specifically to visit the event — a sign of its growing global recognition. Among them were ambassadors, collectors, curators, heads of institutions, corporate leaders, and media representatives. Through more than 50 partner organizations and companies, Sofia Art Fair reached broad national and international audiences both onsite and online, marking an important step in positioning Sofia as a global destination for cultural tourism and creative exchange.
Sofia Art Fair 2025 also established itself as an economic driver for the local and regional art market. Participating galleries reported an average of 3 sales each, totaling more than €150,000. Several artworks found new owners outside Bulgaria, demonstrating that the Sofia Art Fair is becoming a genuine hub for international exchange. The forum created new partnerships between galleries, private collectors, and corporate buyers. “Sofia Art Fair proves that art contributes to sustainable market growth. It is an ideal environment for building communities that connect culture, entrepreneurship, and investment,” shared the curatorial team.
The financial model for the fair was based on collaboration between the public and private sectors. Public funding from the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Tourism, and Sofia Municipality amounted to 72,000 BGN, while corporate partners and sponsors contributed 99,500 BGN. The total budget reached approximately 600,000 BGN. Sofia Art Fair has become an example of successful cooperation between the private and public sectors, where government institutions, embassies, and business organizations join efforts to increase the cultural visibility and economic value of art.
SAF Talks emerged as the intellectual core of the event — a series of meetings and conversations with international experts and leaders of cultural institutions, dedicated to collecting, technology, sustainable models, and cultural diplomacy. Among the participants were: Elco van der Lingen, Director of the Mondriaan Fonds (Netherlands); Benoît Alliot, Director of Cité internationale des arts (France); Marc-Olivier Wahler, Director of the Museum of Art and History in Geneva; digital artist and innovator Agoria (Sebastian Devaud, France); Christopher Springham, Chair of Responsible Investment Forum: Europe, entrepreneur and consultant in green energy (UK); Rafael Mateu de Ros, art law expert (Spain); Krisztina Szíjártó, Deputy Director of the Ludwig Museum in Budapest; Szabolcs Vida, Director of Strategic Development at the Light Art Museum; Martin Janda, President of the Association of Contemporary Art Galleries in Austria; Latifa Al Khalifa, curator and cultural entrepreneur (Bahrain); Vesela Nozharova, curator and art critic (Bulgaria); Evelina and Veronika Gorbachova, curators from Follow.Art (Latvia); artist and producer Timote Verekeya (USA); and psychologist and founder of Emprove Foundation Olga Mineva (Bulgaria).
In parallel with the main exhibition program, numerous accompanying initiatives turned Sofia into a landscape of imagination. The project Expanded Perspectives, initiated by Radoslav Mehandzhiyski (Art and Culture Today), presented large-scale sculptures and video works woven into the urban environment. “With this project, we once again want to show that contemporary art can positively transform the perception of Sofia as a place to live,” commented Mehandzhiyski. International artists participating included Mia Florentine Weiss, Giuseppe Lo Schiavo, Sabina Knetlova, and Gabriela von Habsburg, whose works explored themes such as duality in nature, human presence, and the connection between the material and virtual worlds.
Artist on Focus offered audiences the opportunity to meet selected Bulgarian and international artists chosen by the jury for solo presentations. The Creative Kids Zone sparked great interest — over 400 children took part in free art workshops, creating their first artworks and meeting creators from around the world. The AR/VR Lab showcased immersive projects that explore the boundary between technology and imagination, creating a new type of interaction between viewers and artworks.
Sofia Art Fair 2025 was realized with the active support of numerous cultural institutions that contributed to its international reach and long-term sustainability. Among them were the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Embassy of France, the French Institute in Bulgaria, the Liszt Institute – Hungarian Cultural Institute, the Instituto Cervantes, and the Austrian Cultural Forum Sofia. These partnerships opened new opportunities for bilateral exchange and artistic collaboration, turning the fair into a space for active interaction among nations.
More than 50 companies supported the event — including leading names in finance, hospitality, real estate, media, design, and technology. Their commitment demonstrated that support for culture is increasingly seen as a strategic investment in innovation, reputation and societal development. The motto IMAGINE was not just a theme but a message of vision, collaboration, and confidence in Bulgaria’s creative potential. By connecting art, business, education, and diplomacy, Sofia Art Fair continues to build a sustainable ecosystem that positions Sofia as an active creator of cultural value and inspiration on the global stage. “Sofia Art Fair shows that art has an impact not only aesthetically and intellectually — it carries real social and economic change,” says Suni Danadzha.
Sofia Art Fair – Imagine is organized by the Sofia Breathes Foundation under the patronage of the Mayor of Sofia, Mr. Vasil Terziev. The event is part of the Sofia Municipality Cultural Calendar for 2025 and is supported by the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Tourism, highlighting its role as a cultural and diplomatic factor in developing Bulgaria as a destination for cultural tourism.
We also extend our gratitude to our institutional partners: Sofia Municipality, the State Cultural Institute to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Embassy of France and the French Institute in Bulgaria, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Liszt Institute – Hungarian Cultural Institute Sofia, the Austrian Cultural Forum Sofia, the Embassy of the Kingdom of Spain to the Republic of Bulgaria and Instituto Cervantes – Sofia.
Special thanks go to our supporting partners. Among the main partners of the event are also Art and Culture Today, the Lachezar Tsotsorkov Foundation, The Locals Advertising Agency, and Sofia Tech Park.
The Bulgarian-American Credit Bank is a strategic partner of Sofia Art Fair and supports the event with a clear mission — to promote sustainable development. As part of its long-term strategy, the bank invests in impactful initiatives that inspire change in business, art, and society. Through its support, the bank not only participates but creates opportunities for development and cultural exchange.
For the first time, Sofia Art Fair also has a creative partner: ALL U RE.
The project Expanded Perspectives, part of the Sofia Art Fair program, is implemented by Art and Culture Today and funded under Component 11 “Social Inclusion,” Investment 6 “Development of the Cultural and Creative Sectors,” Procedure BG-RRP-11.016, Grant Scheme “Presentation to Bulgarian Audiences of Contemporary European Productions from the CCS Sector” within the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.