Water Tower Art Fest — 20 Years of Independent Artistic Practice

Water Tower Art Fest began in 2006 with a simple act: cleaning the neglected space around an abandoned Water Tower in Sofia’s Lozenets district. What started as a small artist-led initiative gradually evolved into one of Bulgaria’s longest-running independent platforms for contemporary art, socially engaged practice, and cultural decentralization.

For twenty years, the festival has activated abandoned buildings, industrial sites, forgotten urban zones, and peripheral communities through exhibitions, performances, residencies, and public interventions involving over 600 artists from around the world. Working outside conventional institutional frameworks, Water Tower Art Fest has continuously explored the relationship between art, public space, memory, and social transformation.

Since 2016, the project has expanded into a decentralized residency platform across Bulgaria, bringing artistic processes to places often excluded from cultural circulation. This shift transformed the festival from a single-location event into a long-term network of exchange, empathy, and community engagement.

For the 20th anniversary edition of Water Tower Art Fest, we consciously chose not to work through an open call system. Instead, invitations were extended to artists, curators, collaborators, and long-term supporters from different countries with whom we have built relationships of trust, exchange, and shared sensitivity toward the ideas behind the festival over the years.

This decision is both an act of gratitude toward the people who have shaped the journey of Water Tower Art Fest and a statement about the importance of long-term human and artistic connections within an increasingly fragmented cultural environment.

Many of these encounters and collaborations emerged almost intuitively — through the recognition of a common ethical and artistic position that transcended geography, language, and institutional affiliation.

We would like to thank all artists, friends, communities, partners, volunteers, audiences, and supporters who believed in this journey throughout the years and helped transform fragile spaces into places of encounter, reflection, and possibility.

The 20th anniversary edition reflects on questions of freedom, moral integrity, and the fragility of independent artistic practice today. It is not only a retrospective, but a continuation — an archive of actions, relationships, and choices that insist art can still create meaningful connections between people, places, and realities.

At its core, Water Tower Art Fest remains driven by one belief:

that even a single act, carried out with conviction and care, can begin to transform the environment around us.

PROGRAMME — WTAF 2026

20 Years of Water Tower Art Fest

The 2026 anniversary edition of Water Tower Art Fest unfolds across multiple spaces in Sofia, bringing together international artists, performers, curators, musicians, and long-term collaborators whose practices resonate with the festival’s ongoing exploration of artistic freedom, socially engaged art, and alternative cultural environments.

The programme combines exhibitions, performances, video works, sound interventions, public discussions, and live events, activating both symbolic and contemporary cultural spaces throughout the city.

The programme is a living part of the city of Sofia and may change as June approaches. Additional presentations, performances, and events will be announced here

7 June, 18:30

Opening — One Gallery

Official opening of the 20th anniversary edition.

7–15 June

ONE GALLERY

Performances and installations with participation of Feministas Futuristicas and international artists including:

Gaby Bila-Guenther AKA Lady Gaby,
Anna Bacheva & Trendafila Trendafilova,
Laurent Faulon,
Charlotte Eta Mumm,

Corinne Fhima,
Darina Alster,
Juha van Ingen,
Lisa Hinterreithner,
Viviana Druga,
Simon Pfeiffer,

Sound by YvesO and Mr. Smiff

10 June 18:30 at One Gallery - Presentation: Revitalizing  Spaces Through Artist Residencies: Building Long-Term Connections Between Artists, Institutions, and Communities

By Mia Harris, Senior Producer: Residency Programs, V&A, UK

Varous pop-up events at WATER TOWER  11 – 17 June

11 June, 18:30- performance YvesO &Gaby Billa Gunther – AKA Lady Gaby at WATER TOWER

Video installation by Charlotte Eta Mumm

17 June 2026, 19:30h*

*Dream is Destiny* 
//Chapter two: Embodiment//

Performance and installation

Artists: Mia Momchilova & Milena Stanojevic

Concept: Milena Stanojevic

Performed by: Mia Momchilova, Milena Stanojevic, and a creative collective of artists and other eccentrics who collaborate in the field of performance art.

19 June

WATER TOWER

“Two Voices – One Tower”
Performance by Dessy Messy & Elma Moves
with additional performance by Rita Winde.

22 June

WATER TOWER

First exhibition inside the Water Tower in Lozenets featuring:

Johanna Herr,
Ana Vujic,

John McGarithy

Performances by:

Sandra Zanetti

Special screening programme:

“Crooked Cinema” alt-kino selection curated by Tom Kirk.

Music by Stoyo a fine selection of jazzdance, boogie, fusion, afro, caribbean and organic grooves.

23–30 June

FIGURA ART SPACE

Opening on 23 June 18:30 with works and interventions by:

Anthi Simeonidou THE GRASS IS ONLY GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE Nikola Vulchev “Children’s Shirt” Carina Dobreva ‘Exhaustion’ Oli Gots “mono no aware / memories of beauty” Yiwen Zhang Unfixed Forms Chris Perl “Transformation Maps” Petja Ivanova Paprika Nails Longing Joanna Ivanova

VIDEO WORKS FIGURA Khadija Zammouli Cimetière Marin Driton Hajredini Sin Javier Fabregas Late Third World Chronicles (trilogy short films) Becca-Willow Moss Call Aqua Razvan Anton Pixelity #FFFF00 Heart of Palms Petar Denchev Bloodwork

26–30 June

SAMCA

opening 26 June, 18:30 

Installations by:

Jan Doms,
Mariusz Sołtysik,

Lars Asling

Performance by Haruka Tomatsu

More tba

25 June

TOPLOCENTRALA FORUM

“WTAF 20 FORUM: Safety, Moral Alignment, and the Fragility of Freedom”
Moderated by Rumena Kalcheva

“Funding for the Unfundable” with Desislava Pancheva and  Katerina Kyprioti Katerina Gourgioti from  Klug Greece, Mariko Hori

15:00–19:00
Gallery KUB — Toplocentrala

27 June

WATER TOWER — GRAND ANNIVERSARY OPENING/CLOSING EVENT

Concert 18:00 – Kliment (Zenon, Electrik Dream) – Live 19:30: – Big Bandа – concert 21:00 – Cinnamint (Artmospheric) – dj set 22:00 – Surbahar (Orphic Beats, Chill Om Rec) – Live 23:00 End

and performances and installations by:

Haruka Tomatsu,
Mariko Hori,
Qing Cai,
Christiane Peschek,
Lorraine Kordecki,
Tomasz Matuszak.

Delphine Reist,
Lars Asling,

Ola Kozioł

Aleksandra Chciuk,

*The exhibition in the Water tower will continue till 30th of june

And more to tbc

The project is realized with the financial support of Sofia Municipality — Cultural Calendar Programme, Pro Helvetia, Austrian Cultural Forum, Polish Institute Sofia and Sofia Mobility Programme.

@water_tower_art_fest

WTAF 20: Safety, Moral Alignment, and the Fragility of Freedom

The 20th Anniversary of Water Tower Art Fest (WTAF) is conceived as a moment of reflection, continuation, and ethical recalibration. It marks two decades of sustained artistic practice in spaces that exist outside dominant cultural, economic, and institutional frameworks — places often perceived as obsolete, risky, abandoned, or unstable.

Since its foundation in 2006, WTAF has functioned as a platform for free artistic expression precisely where freedom is least expected: in industrial ruins, disused infrastructure, peripheral urban zones, and rural contexts. These sites are not neutral backdrops but active agents — spaces suspended between “no longer” and “not yet”, between past function and uncertain future.

The Water Tower itself embodies this condition. It stands not only as architecture, but as metaphor: a structure exposed to shifting intentions, reinterpretations, claims, and narratives. Its fragility mirrors the fragility of artistic freedom within unstable moral and institutional climates.

The anniversary programme builds on this legacy by asking two intertwined questions:

What kind of artistic courage is still possible in an era governed by regulation, risk avoidance, and instrumentalisation?
And how do we remain aligned with our moral compass while navigating systems that subtly reward its misalignment?

An Invitation to Contribute to a Shared Future

(Closed Curatorial Call – Selected Artists & Alumni)

Sofia | June 2026 – ongoing

Water Tower Art Fest (WTAF) marks its 20th anniversary not as a celebration of endurance alone, but as a moment of collective reckoning and projection. This invitation is extended to a selected circle of artists, curators, and cultural practitioners—many of whom have shaped the festival over the years, and others whose practices resonate deeply with its ethos—to contribute intellectually and conceptually to this milestone.

This is not an open call, nor a request for finished artworks. It is an invitation to think with us, to write, reflect, speculate, and position yourselves alongside a community that has grown across decades, geographies, and contexts of instability.

Why This Invitation, Now

We are living through a time marked by accelerating political polarisation, ecological collapse, economic extraction, and the re-emergence of new empires built on fragile foundations: greed disguised as growth, nationalism masked as identity, hedonism sold as freedom, and power sustained through the erosion of empathy.

The systems that shape our present are increasingly incapable of imagining a livable future. Art, too, is under pressure—instrumentalised, neutralised, regulated, or absorbed into market logic. Independent spaces disappear, residencies are forced to justify themselves through productivity metrics, and artistic risk is reframed as institutional liability.

Yet it is precisely in such times that art must refuse immediacy, refuse compliance with the here-and-now, and insist on longer temporalities, deeper solidarities, and alternative value systems.

Water Tower Art Fest has always existed slightly out of time—working in abandoned infrastructures, peripheral geographies, and spaces between past function and future possibility. After 20 years, we recognise this position not as marginal, but as necessary.

A Community Across Time

Since 2006, WTAF has functioned as a living, evolving ecosystem rather than a fixed institution. Its community is not defined by nationality, discipline, or style, but by a shared commitment to:

• working with place as an active agent, not a backdrop
• engaging ethically with communities and local realities
• embracing uncertainty, vulnerability, and risk as artistic values
• resisting extractive, short-term cultural models
• and sustaining long-term relationships beyond single projects

This invitation acknowledges your role—past, present, or potential—within this ecosystem. It asks: what does it mean to belong to an artistic community over time, especially when the world around us grows increasingly fragmented?

What We Are Inviting You to Contribute

We invite you to contribute a textual or conceptual position that responds to the following shared horizon:

How can artistic communities imagine and work toward futures that are politically conscious, economically just, ecologically sustainable, and socially empathetic—beyond the dominant systems we currently inhabit?

Your contribution may take the form of:

• a short essay or manifesto
• a speculative or poetic text
• a critical reflection grounded in your practice
• a proposal for alternative social, ecological, or cultural strategies
• a collective or dialogical text developed with others
• a reflection on failure, exhaustion, refusal, or withdrawal as political acts

We are not seeking consensus. We are seeking clarity of position, generosity of thought, and the courage to articulate directions that may feel distant from the present moment—but necessary for survival.

Shared Values, Not Shared Answers

This invitation is grounded in a set of values that have shaped WTAF across two decades:

• Gift economy over extraction
• Shared resources over accumulation
• Care over competition
• Ecological interdependence over human exceptionalism
• Long-term cultural processes over short-term visibility

We recognise that these values are increasingly at odds with dominant political and economic narratives. That is precisely why we insist on them—not as ideology, but as practice.

Your contribution may affirm, challenge, complicate, or reframe these values. What matters is that it participates in a collective effort to articulate direction, rather than merely diagnose collapse.

From Forum to Archive to Future

Selected contributions will become part of:

• the WTAF 20th Anniversary Symposium & Forum (June 2026, Sofia), where texts and positions may be read, discussed, or activated through conversation;
• and the 20-Year Anniversary Publication, conceived not as a retrospective catalogue, but as a future-facing archive—a document of shared thinking in a time of profound uncertainty.

This publication will stand as a record of how an international artistic community chose to speak, imagine, and take responsibility at a historical turning point.

A Continuing Commitment

This invitation should be understood as part of an ongoing relationship, not a one-time gesture. Water Tower Art Fest remains committed to slow cultural work, long-term collaboration, and sustained dialogue across borders and differences.

By contributing, you are not endorsing a fixed programme or institution. You are participating in a collective attempt to remain human, imaginative, and responsible within systems that increasingly discourage all three.

In Closing

We believe that art still matters—not because it entertains, decorates, or distracts, but because it can hold complexity, nurture empathy, and imagine futures where other systems of living are possible.

After 20 years, Water Tower Art Fest continues to ask:

• What is worth sustaining?
• What must be transformed?
• And how do we do this together, without illusion—but also without surrender?

We invite you to think with us.

—

Water Tower Art Fest (WTAF)
20th Anniversary Programme
Association IME | Sofia
June 2026 – ongoing

We must not follow doctrines blindly or submit to false authority; we must lead by example and defend our principles.

Soon more info on places, people, art and things!

Thank you for being part of this journey.
More details coming soon — stay tuned.

Pedro Matos Fortuna, PhD (Setúbal, Portugal,
http://pedrofortuna.com.pt
Assistant Professor in the Department of Painting at the Faculty of Fine Arts -
University of Lisbon, https://www.belasartes.ulisboa.pt/, works in Fine Arts, with a
clear predominance of Ceramics as medium. Is a member of Portuguese Ceramics and
Glass Society and Vicarte, http://vicarte.org, a research unit investigating glass and
ceramics for the Arts.

Creativity is an attitude we need to nurture; is made of distant and
unsuspected contributions. From what surrounds us and from our work, more
than a skill or a great idea. Creativity can be made of things coming from afar,
feeding an appetite we want to last.
Our best results speak of us and say what we otherwise wouldn't know how.
When we dare to try new things, share what, after all, will never be lacking, and
reveal sides we thought were fragile.
All this in a place you can barely imagine, using the best you have for
communication, even if the local language is comfortable, without the usual
refuges, accepting that the other has an irreplaceable contribution and that in
the construction of thought and memory, of form and color, lies the best you´ve
experienced.

Petra Hudcova -  https://www.petrahudcova.com/ 

Petra Hudcová is a Czech visual artist whose practice spans installation, video, collage, and found materials. Educated in the UK at Leeds Metropolitan University and Central Saint Martins in London, she explores themes of spatial fragmentation, power dynamics, and utopian ideals—often responding directly to architecture and the socio-political context of urban environments. Her site-specific works seek to disrupt linear perceptions of time and space. In recent years, Hudcová has also turned her attention to ceramics, using the tactile and meditative nature of clay as a therapeutic medium and a new form of personal expression. https://instagram.com/petraaaq/

Neda Licheva is a talented ceramic artist from Troyan. She comes from a long line of artists well recognized for their craftsmanship and continues the tradition of her family, creating beautiful, refined and unique ceramic pieces  - https://www.instagram.com/nedaartistry/  and her mother Mariana Licheva working with an old traditional  unique ceramic method of brush painting https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3732730300141719&id=256972687717515&set=a.373203209427795

and participating artists:

There is another of our creative residencies coming up this year

Water Tower Art Residency – WTAR# 10 ½ Troyan Ceramic Mentor Residency 2025
Dates: 15–25 September 2025
Location: Kaleitsa, Troyan, Bulgaria
Deadline to Apply: 31 July 2025
We are thrilled to announce an open call for the Water Tower Art Residency – Troyan 2025, a 10-day international decentralized residency dedicated to contemporary ceramics. This immersive program will host up to five artists whose primary practice involves ceramics or contemporary art incorporating ceramic media.
As a continuation of our long-standing commitment to socially engaged artistic practice in secluded and often overlooked areas of Bulgaria, the legacy of Water Tower Art Fest lives on—developing meaningful dialogue through art on both a national and international scale. Over the past eight years, we have cultivated deep partnerships with artists and local communities, bringing visibility to undervalued places and demonstrating the powerful social function of the arts.
With this specific residency, we aim to forge a vital connection between traditional (and at times rigid) ceramic practices and the expansive potential for experimentation and discovery within the medium. Through our mentor-led program, we invite artists to explore ceramics in fresh, contemporary contexts—pushing boundaries while honoring local craft.
While we honor the history and traditions of ceramics, our aim is to expand its horizons—reinterpreting its foundations through a contemporary lens. As one of the oldest material expressions known to humankind, ceramics unites the elemental forces of clay (earth), water, and fire. Rooted in our prehistoric discoveries of external representation and the synthesis of material and ephemeral qualities, ceramics carries a legacy we can continue to cherish—both now and into the future. Far from being bound by tradition, the medium offers vast and versatile possibilities—from sculpture, installation, and performance to conceptual and socially engaged practices. Whether durable or fleeting, the outcomes reflect the full spectrum this medium allows—inviting experimentation, transformation, and dialogue. We welcome applications from artists eager to explore and push the boundaries of ceramics in bold, innovative, and meaningful ways.
What we have yet to come to experience are the forces within matter itself. By bending and shaping the material—as if it unconditionally obeys us—we are made to feel grand, as it passes through water and fire into a new, justified and valid existence, one shaped entirely by our hands.
Set in the scenic village of Kaleitsa near Troyan—famed for its centuries-old ceramic traditions—the residency will offer accommodation in a beautifully restored stone house and access to a fully equipped ceramic atelier hosted by artist and mentor Neda Licheva https://www.instagram.com/nedaartistry/ , located just a short walk away.
Mentors & Participating Artists:
• Petra Hudcova- http://petrahudcova.com/
• Pedro Fortuna - https://www.pedrofortuna.com.pt/index.html
• Neda Licheva (host and mentor)
Residency Highlights:
• Intensive studio work with ceramics
• Mentor-led sessions and peer exchange
• Visits to local ceramic studios, including Керамик Студио Термодвойка
• Guided tours to Troyan Ethnographic Museum in Oreshak, Troyan Monastery, and meetings with local artists
• Visit to the Troyan Art School of Ceramics, including public presentations by residents about their work
Final Presentation:
The residency will culminate in a public showcase of artworks, live performance sessions, and a closing concert—offering participants an opportunity to share their creative outcomes with local audiences and the wider community.
What We Offer:
• Accommodation in a traditional stone house in Kaleitsa
• Working space and materials (clay and tools) at Neda Licheva’s atelier
• Mentorship and unique technical demonstrations by Mariana Licheva https://otskrina.com/product-brands/mariana-licheva/ , master ceramicist
• Group meals prepared by guest artist-chef Nicolas Taghniati (shared cost)
• Access to bicycles for local exploration
• Local transportation, including transfers from Sofia (bus or car depending on group size)
• Promotion, documentation, and organizational support by the Water Tower Art Fest team
• Visibility for participating artists through our public channels and partner networks
Application & Selection:
Applications are open until 31 July 2025. Selection will be conducted by our invited mentors.
Documents Required for Application:
1. Motivation Letter – outlining your interest in the residency and how your practice relates to ceramics and the aims of the program
2. Curriculum Vitae (CV) and Portfolio – including relevant works and links, if available
3. Two References – contact details of two people familiar with your work (no letters required)
4. Application Fee – A € 20 administrative fee to be transferred via:
o Bank transfer (details provided upon request), or
o Donation via PayPal using the button on our website: https://watertowerartfest.com
o After successful selection process
Please send all application materials in a single email to: watertowerartfest@gmail.com
Subject line: Application – WTAR# 10 ½ Troyan Ceramic Mentor Residency 2025
Organized by Association IME with the support of the Ministry of Culture of Bulgaria.
________________________________________

A documentary film presenting the artist participating at residency in Rhodope mountain village of Levochevo as it was. Part of the project “Epoch”

We are pleased to announce the artists to be present at our residency at Levochevo Rhododpe mountan this June 2025

Nicolas Tagnati

Ira RZ

John McGarity

Sandra Zanetti

Irene Anton

Haruka Tomatsu

Leah Hawker

Big Big Thank you to all involved in this magical endeavor of ours in search of the sacred healing private space that resonates with nature, myths and past and presentas much as our internal landscape! Always in state of conscious generousity and inquisitiveness giving us the strenght to be in everlasting creative flow of energy- this helping others as well when needed!

Thank you to all of you!

Respect and Goodbye

Soon a documentary film will follow!

Yours

Nia & team

Selection completed – we had great proposals, but limited places- so 8 artists will be part of our incredible journey in magical Rhodope mountains this june!

Stay tuned to find out what is to become!

We are excited to announce an open call for up to five artists to participate in a unique and transformative residency in Levochevo, a peaceful village nestled in Bulgaria’s Rhodope Mountains—the legendary homeland of Orpheus and the ancient Thracian civilization, rich with myths, legends, and mysteries.

As part of the Water Tower Art Fest / Residency, this program invites artists to immerse themselves in the local community—engaging with musicians, singers, and storytellers encountered during the stay—while exploring the region’s natural beauty and cultural heritage. Through collaboration and dialogue, participants will create interactive artworks inspired by the area’s traditions, history, and mythology.

The residency will culminate in a documentary film, produced by Association IME, blending fictional narrative and immersive art. Artists will have the opportunity to contribute to this collective storytelling experience, weaving together their creative vision with the voices and traditions of the local people.

About the Water Tower Art Fest / Residency
The Water Tower Art Fest has long been committed to the idea of art as an agent of change, connection, and community. Each year, our initiatives bring together artists from around the world to explore and engage with unique environments, collaborating with local communities to create artworks that are deeply embedded in the local culture. The Nomadic Residency is a continuation of our mission to bring artists closer to the people, history, and stories that make a place unique. The interaction is dediacted to socially engaged artistic expression, where art gas function in the society.
Past editions of the festival and residency have resulted in impactful, immersive works that intertwine contemporary art practices with the ancient traditions and customs of the locations. Our previous initiatives have inspired a renewed dialogue around cultural preservation and environmental and social engagement at places where prevails sense of abandonmenet. Now, we invite you to be part of a new chapter in Levochevo, Smolyan region, where art is not just created, but also experienced in the context of a living, evolving cultural landscape.

https://watertowerartfest.com/en/resuslts-from-residency-at-gradets-2024/

https://watertowerartfest.com/en/results-water-tower-art-residency-lom-2024/

In Levochevo, the residency will bring artists into direct interaction with the community and local traditions. The aim is to create works that preserve and elevate the heritage of the Rhodope region while also reflecting contemporary concerns such as the impact of modernity on cultural practices and ecological sustainability.

About Levochevo and the Rhodope Mountains
Levochevo is a small village surrounded by the magnificent landscapes of the Rhodope Mountains, a region steeped in mythology, history, and natural beauty. The area is home to ancient traditions, rituals, and stories that have been passed down through generations, many of which are now at risk of disappearing in the face of modernization.
The Rhodope Mountains are rich in biodiversity and ecological significance, with deep forests, rivers, and cultural sites that have long been central to the local people’s way of life. The village of Levochevo holds an important place in this heritage, making it an ideal setting for an artist residency focused on cultural exchange, environmental dialogue, and the preservation of disappearing traditions. Like most little villages in the area, it has inevitably been marked by a sense of abandonment, with young people leaving for bigger cities. This makes our intervention even more valuable in transcending the values of the past, demystifying myths, and making them relevant to our contemporary world through the arts.

Residency Focus and Opportunities
The residency provides a unique opportunity to engage with the region’s rich folklore, mythology, and local customs. Artists will work alongside the community to explore the myths and stories of Levochevo, translating them into interactive art forms that bridge the gap between past and present.

Collaborate with Local Ecological Art Centers and Guardians of Tradition:
Partner with local ecological centers, such as Gudevica, dedicated to preserving the region’s natural and cultural heritage. These centers play a crucial role in maintaining the ancient knowledge and environmental wisdom of the Rodopi Mountains. Artists will work with these custodians of tradition to better understand and represent the natural environment, ecological sustainability, and the intertwined relationship between the local people and the land.
Participate in Enyovden, the Ancient Midsummer Ritual:
One of the highlights of the residency will be the opportunity to participate in the Enyovden (21st June), an ancient tradition celebrating the summer solstice. This ritual, rich in mysticism, is believed to protect the health and well-being of the community. The residency invites artists to experience this powerful event and, through their work, find contemporary ways to interpret and transcend these ancient traditions, fostering new connections between old and new, tradition and innovation.
Create Interactive Artworks:
The residency culminates in the creation of artworks that invite participation from the local community, exploring themes such as cultural preservation, ecological balance, and the fusion of tradition with contemporary artistic practices. These may include installations, performances, soundscapes, visual art, or mixed-media works.
Collaborative Research and Cultural Exchange:
Artists will collaborate with each other and the community to research and document disappearing traditions such as ancient songs, oral stories, rituals, and crafts. These collaborations will be woven into the artworks, providing new perspectives on local history and customs.
Outcomes of the Residency
Interactive Artworks: Final artworks will be shared with the local community, engaging them in the creative process and celebrating the region’s myths, stories, and traditions.
Documentary Film & Fictional Narrative: A documentary film will capture the artists’ journey, including their collaboration with the local community, the process of creating the works, and the cultural insights gained during the residency. A fictional narrative will also emerge, reflecting the contemporary resonance of ancient traditions.
Public Presentations: The final works will be showcased through exhibitions and performances, allowing the wider public to experience the intersection of local traditions and contemporary art.

Duration of residency

Application Deadline: [10.04.2025]Residency Dates: [11-22.06.2025]Location: Levochevo, Rhodope Mountains, Bulgaria

Accommodation

What We Offer: – Accommodation in Levochevo, where you will live and work during the residency period. https://www.thepineliving.com/ (breakfast included) – Transport to and from Sofia. – Transport to visit and explore the area while in residence. – Creative space to develop your work, including access to local materials and resources. – Collaboration opportunities with local ecological centers, cultural guardians, and the community. – Technical support for artworks *preliminary discussed. – Documentation and promotion of your work through the final documentary film and other media. – Invitation letter to secure individual fundings for artists outside Bulgaria.

Disciplines, work equipment and assistance

All disciplines

Studio / Workspace

Accommodation in Levochevo, where you will live and work during the residency period. https://www.thepineliving.com/ (breakfast included)

Fees and support

We do not charge a participation or accommodation fee; however, artists are responsible for covering their own travel expenses to and from Bulgaria, as well as their food, art materials, and personal expenses during the residency. Additionally, a €30 administrative fee is required upon application, payable directly to our bank account.
IBAN BG56FINV915010BGN094XSSWIFT CODE FINVBGSF or https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/ngoime

Expectations towards the artist

Selection Process: Applications will be reviewed by a selection panel based on artistic quality, relevance to the residency’s themes, and the ability to engage with the local community. Successful applicants will be notified by 15.04.2025 to the latest! Join Us in Levochevo! Be part of a unique, creative journey that will deepen your connection to the land, its people, and their traditions. This residency offers the rare chance to transcend time through art and cultural exchange, making a lasting impact both on the local community and your artistic practice. We look forward to welcoming you to Levochevo for a transformative experience

Application information

How to Apply: Please submit the following:

1. Artist Statement: Explaining your practice, interest in cultural exchange, and how you would approach the themes of the residency.
2. Portfolio: A selection of 5-10 images/videos of your recent work, or relevant examples of your artistic practice.
3. Project Proposal: A brief description of what you aim to create during the residency, including how you plan to engage with the local community and incorporate elements of Levochevo’s culture, mythology, and traditions.
4. CV/Resume: An up-to-date CV or resume outlining your artistic experience and relevant exhibitions, performances, or projects.
5. References: Contact information for at least two professional references who can speak to your artistic practice and previous collaborative work.

Send all applications to [watertowerartfest@gmail.com] by [10.04.2024].

Documentary film by Dimitur Slavov

https://www.facebook.com/media/set?vanity=watertowerartfest&set=a.914893914017765

Photo credit : Dimitur Slavov

Water tower art residency – Gradets 2024

20-25 September

Water Tower Art Residency #9 presents an exceptional opportunity for artists to join an esteemed community of creatives. Building upon the success of Water Tower Art Fest, a renowned festival featuring over 80 contemporary art proposals from across Europe, Brazil, Canada, USA, and Japan, the residency aims to foster artistic development, create impactful works, and engage audiences within a unique context.

This year, we are committed to effecting positive change within the community by exploring diverse themes. We invite artists of all ages and experience levels to join us in Roma village of Gradets , Region of Sliven located in the Eastern Balkan Mountains – 14 km. from Kotel, and nearby are also Medven, Zheravna, Katunishte.

In every situation and location, lies great potential. Our motivation for selecting Gradets as the residency site is to tap into this potential and redefine its future. Through research, immersion, and collaboration with local Roma community, participants will have the opportunity to interact with mentors, share knowledge, and exchange experiences, resulting in the creation of compelling artistic works in the spehere of socially engaged art practice.

Why Join?

Immerse yourself in the captivating ambiance of Roma culture in village of Gradets, an ancient town brimming with untapped artistic inspiration.

Expand access to cultural content by producing and disseminating adapted or new works, reaching diverse audiences through digital and physical platforms.

Engage and inspire young audiences, fostering a lasting presence of Bulgarian art and artists in international partner organizations.

Connect with the local Roma community, harnessing its inherent potential to shape a brighter future.

Collaborate with esteemed mentors from various parts of the world, drawing from their expertise and guidance.

Cultivate new skills, broaden your understanding of art and culture, and forge connections that transcend boundaries.

Embrace a new culture, exploring interconnections between people, environment, heritage, and technology, with a focus on coexistence and sustainable development.

Residency Details:

Artists working in digital art, sound art, painting, printmaking, photography, installation, performance, music, and socially engaged arts are encouraged to apply.

What We offer:

Accommodation during the residency period.

Shared spaces for communal cooking and interaction among participants.

Please note that the cost of food products is not covered by the organizers.

The residency accommodates up to 8 artists.

Participate in a mentorship program, receiving personalized guidance, workshops, and presentations from our esteemed mentors.

Access to a venue to realize your projects and ideas. Contact witj mediators and school teachers for organizing of workshops with kids and general communication with Roma community.

Accommodation in shared living arrangements.

Technical support for installation and artwork creation.

Exhibition of the residency results.

Extensive promotion of the residency outcomes through media and social networks, including individual presentations for each participant.

Mentors:

Johannah Herr https://www.johannahherr.com/?fbclid=IwY2xjawEVrQ9leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHfZsl44NY0D7RH0fuyYv1sZ-kIz0-9ywWzcKI5br00WwXsUp0ojrvgtc3w_aem_bS0-MYpPfK4Q4SaiwYf_MA

is an interdisciplinary artist whose work uses subversive, colorfully patterned objects and maximalist installations to critique state-sanctioned violence in America. She holds an MFA from Cranbrook and a BFA from Parsons. She has had solo shows at Geary Contemporary, Untitled San Francisco, BRIC, Elijah Wheat Showroom, Envoy Enterprises, Red Ger Gallery (Mongolia) and Galeri Metropol (Estonia). She is a Fulbright Scholar (Mongolia) and attended residencies at SIM, Wassaic Project, IEA’s Experimental Projects Residency, Oxbow, Museum of Arts and Design, and Vermont Studio Center. She is also the Co-Founder of Daughters Rising, an anti-human trafficking NGO in Mae Wang, Thailand. She lives / works between Brooklyn and Mae Wang.

Boyan Avramov – musician,  percussionist – workshop with musical instruments

To apply, please send an email to watertowerartfest@gmail.com accompanied by your CV and a cover letter before 30.08.2024. Please note that there may be restrictions on safety and other requirements imposed by municipal managers, which are beyond our control.

For further inquiries or to submit your application, please contact: watertowerartfest@gmail.com.

***This project receives support from the Ministry of Culture.