International artists, curators, collectors and experts from the field of contemporary art will participate in SAF Talks 2026 at Sofia Tech Park from October 9 to 11. The programme is part of this year’s edition of the international exhibition Sofia Art Fair, which will be held from October 8 to 11, the event team reported on Friday.
The first edition of the Sofia Art Fair in 2024 attracted over 4,000 visitors and 29 galleries. More than 90 artists were presented. This year’s edition will feature galleries, independent spaces, artistic collectives and organizations from Bulgaria, Austria, Italy, the Netherlands, Romania, Turkiye, Hungary, and Georgia.
The professional development of artists, the role of exhibitions and contemporary art fairs, collecting, art mediation, the international visibility of Bulgarian artists, and the relationship between art and the audience will be discussed during the forum.
On October 9, Sebastien Tien, founder and director of the independent cultural space Page Not Found in The Hague, will talk about art book publishing and printed publications as an independent creative practice and as a way to reach new audiences.
In collaboration with the Embassy of France and the French Institute in Bulgaria, Vladimir Yavachev and Daniel Nenchev will lead a discussion dedicated to Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s projects and to large-scale artistic projects and their impact on the way the public perceives public space.
The French partnership continues on October 10 with Guillaume Piens, director of the Paris contemporary art fair Art Paris, who will talk with Dr Maria Vassileva about the role of contemporary art fairs for galleries, artists and the cities that host them. Curator and art historian Kathy Alliou will talk with Victoria Gyuleva and Luchezar Boyadjiev about the process of creating exhibitions.
With the support of the Embassy of the Republic of Austria in Bulgaria, the programme will also feature Vienna-based Hema Makwana, founder of HM Communication. She and SAF Talks curator Radoslav Mehandzhiyski will discuss the professional development of artists and the need for long-term support for their work.
The last day of SAF Talks is dedicated to the audience, collecting, and the international visibility of the Bulgarian art scene. Vladia Mihaylova, Dr Todor Petev and Meglena Zapreva will discuss the role of art mediation in the connection between the work and the audience. Collectors Irena Gergova and Nikolay Nedelchev will talk with the creative director of Sofia Art Fair Stefan Stoyanov about collecting contemporary art and supporting artists.
International Contemporary Art Experts to Meet in Sofia as Part of SAF Talks 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-10-02 12:33:04
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