site.btaPort Prim Art Fest Creative Director Says Event's Programme Never Repeats Itself, Presents Latest Projects

A distinctive feature of Port Prim Art Fest is that its programme never repeats itself. "We always invite new artists to the exhibitions, and when putting together the programme, our goal is for the projects to be presented for the first time in Burgas, and sometimes for the first time in Bulgaria. Whether it's music, theater, books, films, or artists, the goal is for Burgas to be the first to get acquainted with the latest," said artist Stefan Bozhkov, the creative director of the festival, in an interview with the Bulgarian News Agency.

The Festival's eighth edition opened at the Petko Zadgorski Art Gallery with a collective exhibition by Gergana Nikolova, Anabel Hamamdzhieva, Liliana Alexandrova, Rafail Georgiev – Rafo, Tsvetan Krastev, Stefan Churchuliev, and Stefan Bozhkov himself.

Bozhkov said that over the past eight years, the festival has managed to build a reputation among audiences, who have come to recognize and appreciate it. "We do it primarily for the audience. For me, that is the main task of a festival," Bozhkov added. The other mission, which he considers essential, is to bring artists together. He pointed out that whether it's writers, artists, actors, or musicians, the goal is always to create an environment for exchanging ideas. "They can connect with each other, become a small community, and share thoughts. In my opinion, this always gives incredible results," the artist commented.

He compared the process to the meetings at Andy Warhol's Factory, where artistic diversity gave rise to new inspirations and projects. "It is precisely this diversity of artists coming together, as well as meeting the audience, that gives you the strength for new ideas and sometimes even to change the style of what you do," he noted.

Regarding the selection of participants in the festival, Bozhkov specified that this is an ongoing process that lasts throughout the year. "We observe what everyone is doing, how they are developing, whether it be theatrical productions, musical formats, or new books. We follow artists particularly closely, and I would say that I know them all throughout Bulgaria," he said.

Regarding the future development of the festival, he expressed a desire for larger-scale projects. "There should be funding for big things, because then we can expand even more. We have connections, friends, and opportunities for larger-scale events," Bozhkov said.