site.btaAt the Heart of Europe Catalogue Marks 20 Years of Bulgaria’s State Cultural Institute

The catalogue At the Heart of Europe, dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the State Cultural Institute with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, will be presented at the Representation of the European Commission in Bulgaria at 11:00 a.m. on May 21, the Institute’s team announced on Friday.

The publication traces two decades of the Institute’s work in preserving and promoting Bulgaria’s cultural and artistic heritage. It features works from the Art Fund of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria, many of which are displayed in the interiors of Bulgarian embassies and official residences, as well as in Bulgaria’s Permanent Representations to the European Union and NATO in Brussels.

According to the organizers, the artistic collection not only enriches the aesthetic environment of diplomatic spaces but has also become a natural component of Bulgaria’s cultural diplomacy “at the heart of Europe”. The State Cultural Institute said that the artworks displayed in Bulgaria’s diplomatic missions in the Belgian capital serve not merely as decoration, but as an “everyday partner in the diplomatic process”.

Among the featured artists are Atanas Mihov, Stoyan Vasilev, Todor Dinev, Todor Panayotov, Ivaylo Mirchev, and Dimitar Panayotov. Their works depict Bulgarian nature, everyday life, and national values, while also reflecting the artists’ pursuit of individuality and experimentation.

The event is organized in connection with the celebration of Europe Day and Day of the Holy Brothers Cyril and Methodius, of the Bulgarian Alphabet, Education and Culture, and of Slavic Literature. Representatives of the diplomatic corps, media, public figures, and cultural professionals are expected to attend.

The catalogue’s main introductory texts are authored by Bulgarian art historian Assoc Prof Svetlana Kuyumdzhieva, Director of the Sofia City Art Gallery Adelina Fileva, as well as experts in cultural diplomacy and international cultural cooperation.