site.btaBTA Is Setting Standard for Comprehensive Cultural Coverage, Says Director General

BTA is working to provide more in-depth coverage of culture, the agency’s Director General Kiril Valchev said on Wednesday during a roundtable held as part of the 34th International Theatre Festival Varna Summer.

Valchev said BTA has become a key media platform for festivals in Bulgaria, particularly since 2021, building on the agency’s 128-year tradition and its decision to provide Bulgarian media outlets with free access to its news content. He said coverage of the Varna Summer festival had grown to 184 articles in 2026 from just six in 2016, citing archive digitization, the launch of the specialized LIK culture desk, and the appointment of culture correspondents in major cities including Varna, Plovdiv and Burgas.

Since BTA’s LIK magazine resumed monthly publication in 2022, it has published nine festival-themed issues, including editions dedicated to Golden Rose, Varna Summer and CineLibri. A special issue on jazz festivals found that Bulgaria hosts 65 jazz festivals in 21 of its 28 regions, Valchev said, adding that more in-depth festival coverage helps raise the profile of artists and their ideas. He said meaningful coverage should start well before an event, continue on the day itself and include reporting that captures key reflections and ideas after performances end.

He also urged Bulgarian festivals to better coordinate their schedules, citing jazz festivals that often overlap. Bulgaria could become a stronger festival destination by developing coordinated festival routes across regions and even across the Balkans, he said.

By October, BTA plans to launch a new BG Festivals section with an interactive map allowing users to find festivals by location and access related news coverage. The October issue of LIK magazine will mark the 100th anniversary of the International Music Festival Varna Summer.