Atelietata / Galeriata in Plovdiv – Residency program in Bulgaria

The goal of the residency program by Akademie Schloss Solitude and the Goethe-Institut Bulgaria is to provide the independent art scene with spaces for artistic research and development. Additionally, it aims to deepen the exchange between Bulgaria and Germany.

The former residency LUFTSTUDIO relocated in 2024 from Sofia to Plovdiv, a city outside the capital, to decentralize cultural promotion and exchange within the independent art scene. Plovdiv is known for its calm yet vibrant atmosphere, its dedication to art and culture, and its status as the European Capital of Culture in 2019.

The partner and host in Plovdiv is the creative artist collective Atelietata (Ateliers), which rents studio spaces in a former hospital and sublets them to artists for a modest fee. The spaces are used solely as workspaces and do not include accommodations. The building itself resembles a Berlin squat.

In 2023, the collective also opened its own gallery, Galeriata (The Gallery), which hosts monthly exhibitions. Most of the artists in the building are young, creating a lively atmosphere better suited for emerging artists. The courtyard often serves as a venue for concerts and parties.

Today, some of Bulgaria’s most renowned contemporary artists have studios at Atelietata, including winners of the BAZA Young Artist Award such as Martina Vacheva (Artist in Residence at Akademie Schloss Solitude, 2022), Dimitar Shopov, Yavor Kostadinov, Dimitar Genchev, as well as international artists like Mitch Brezounek and others. The artists at Atelietata work in various fields of visual arts.

Resident artists in Plovdiv are provided with a studio in the building and a separate apartment in the city center. Another partnership exists with the small gallery Cu29 in Kapana, the hipster district of the city center, where this year’s fellow, Monika Czyżyk, exhibited her works at the end of her residency. An exhibition at the end of the residency in Galeriata is also possible, depending on scheduling.