The International Art Festival “River of Tolerance” organizes a complex of different, in form and character, creative initiatives with the participation of young creative people representing different ethnic and religious groups. Painters, photographers and cameramen from different states work together in it; they express their views with the universal language of art. By juxtaposition and joining of individual artistic outlooks, they create a common vision of common uniting values. Esteemed university teachers from Bulgaria and the Balkan countries participate in it; by means of informal education, they give the younger colleagues their professional skills, knowledge and experience.
The festival was initiated in 2010 and has been carried out at the regional center of NEF “13 Centuries Bulgaria”, the “Sarafska” House in Samokov. The participants have the opportunity to get to know the rich culture and history heritage of Bulgaria, local customs, traditions and crafts – an expression of centuries-old mutual coexistence of people from different ethnic and religious groups in the region.
The works created during the project – graphic pieces, photographs and video-materials – are included in exhibitions presented
2021
4th International Youth Art Festival ‘River of Tolerance’ under the patronage of UNESCO
‘The Shared Art of the Balkans—Traditions and Contemporaneity’
Online edition, 13–17 September 2021
DAY 1
The ‘River of Tolerance’ Art Festival opens with special greetings from UNESCO
Students and their lecturers from the art academies of Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Serbia, and Croatia exchange creative ideas online
For the first time, the ‘River of Tolerance’ Art Festival, organised by NEF ‘13 Centuries of Bulgaria’, is being held online owing to the coronavirus measures, but communication over the Internet did not diminish creative ardour.
The event, which runs from 13 to 17 September and involves students and professors from academies of visual arts in Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Serbia, and Croatia, was inaugurated with a greeting by Toussaint Tiendrebeogo, Secretary of the Convention for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, on behalf of UNESCO. The World Organization for Cultural and Historical Heritage traditionally grants its patronage to the NEF ’13 Centuries of Bulgaria’ youth art festival. (Video of Mr Toussaint Tiendrebeogo’s speech can be seen via the link below).
Ms Slava Ivanova, Executive Director of the Fund, also greeted the festival participants. (Her words of welcome are also available for viewing online).
Prof. Georgi Yankov, Rector of the National Academy of Arts, delivered a short speech on behalf of the hosts.
After the official introductions, each of the universities of fine arts had the opportunity to present their activities by showing a short film, while today’s participants gained an idea of the past, ‘physical’ editions of the Festival through a video recorded by NATFA graduates.
Before settling down to practical matters, mutual acquaintances continued with the introduction of the various professors introducing their students by their professors.
In the second half of the Festival’s opening first day, the hosts set the tone with the lecture by Prof. Svilen Stefanov, DA, on the topic of ‘Changes in Bulgarian Art on the Cusp of the 1980s and 1990s’.
After that, the participants breathed small sigh of sadness during the virtual tour of the Sarafs’ House in Samokov, where the art festival was normally held.
For ‘dessert’, the young people from the Balkan countries learned more about ‘The Music Instead of the Street’, a project of the world-famous violinist Georgi Kalaydzhiev.
The first day of ‘River of Tolerance’ ended in an entirely suitable way, with a musical performance.
DAY 2
Day Two of the ‘River of Tolerance’—with Her Highness the Graphic Art
During the Youth Art Festival, organised by NEF ‘13 Centuries of Bulgaria, students and their lecturers take a virtual tour of Samokov
The second day of the ‘River of Tolerance’ Youth Art Festival, under the auspices of UNESCO, was dedicated to graphics. Students and their lecturers from the art academies of the Balkan countries met online (for the first time, the event takes place via the Internet, for reasons of sanitary safety) with Assoc. Prof. Yohan Yotov from the Graphic Art Department at the National Academy of Arts in Sofia. Then using the Zoom platform, they ‘attended’ his Graphics workshop.
Dr Vasil Kolev – Vassillo, another graphic artist, told the students about his involvement in a previous edition of ‘River of Tolerance’.
Dr Veselin Hadzhiangelov, the eloquent Director of the Samokov Museum of History, spoke to the young people about the cultural history of the town, known for its religious and ethnic tolerance.
In Samokov, Bulgarians, Turks and Jews have coexisted for centuries in harmony and peace, and so their houses of prayer are situated close to each other; all of them contain elements of the respective religions that are atypical and borrowed from other nationalities.
DAY 3
The ‘River of Tolerance’ Day Three—Photography in the Spotlight
Participants in the youth art festival, organised by NEF ‘13 Centuries of Bulgaria under the auspices of UNESCO, virtually visit the Barakli Mosque, the Synagogue and Belyo’s Church in Samokov
The main lecturer on the third day of the ‘River of Tolerance’ Art Festival was Ivan Kyuranov, D.A., from the History of Art Department at the National Academy of Arts in Sofia.
Students and lecturers from Balkan countries, using the Zoom platform, took part live in Ivan Kyuranov’s workshop on ‘Medium-format Analogue Photography as a Tool for the Contemporary Artist’.
After delivering the ‘master’s workshop’, the professor recounted his memories of the ‘River of Tolerance’, when it was part of the festival that, in previous editions, was held at the Sarafs’ House in Samokov.
And because, owing to the coronavirus measures, the students followed the event on their screens, Dr Veselin Hadzhiangelov, Director of the town’s Museum of History, ‘organised’ a virtual tour of the Barakli Mosque, the Synagogue and Belyo’s Church in Samokov.
DAY 4
The ‘River of Tolerance’, Day Four—‘Where Is Serendip?’
What could be a more natural theme for an art festival that goes online for the first time than that of the digital arts? And who could be a more suitable lecturer than Assoc. Prof. Venelin Shurelov, D.A.?
His workshop, ‘Where Is Serendip?’, initially took students and lecturers from Bulgaria, Greece, Romania and Serbia to the realm of fairy tales with the legend of the three princes from Serendip (the ancient name of Sri Lanka). And then the participants in the ‘River of Tolerance’, the youth art festival organised by NEF ‘13 Centuries of Bulgaria’ under the auspices of UNESCO, immersed themselves in the magic of art made using digital media. Assoc. Prof. Shurelov stated: ‘Serendipity is a science, but beyond its traditional attributes—logic and predictability. Serendipity is the study of the unexpected, it is the comprehension of the accidental, the connecting of the fragmented.’
They had the opportunity to watch a video about the ‘Light and Spirit’ project, a multimedia exhibition of Vladimir Dimitrov – Maystora, created by Assoc. Prof. Venelin Shurelov in partnership with the Fund.
The second part of his workshop revealed what is meant by data-enhanced interaction.
Then they saw with their own eyes that one of them, Bogdan Topicenu from Romania, a participant in the 2nd ‘River of Tolerance’ International Youth Art Festival, had developed his own project with talent and imagination. He presented a video on the topic: ‘A handbook for the survival of the artist. From adversity to opportunity. An inside look at Art Factory and ArtLink projects’.
The computer magician, Boyan Vassilev, with whose assistance the online version of the festival was made possible, showed fascinatingly and competently how a Balkan hero such as Krali Marko could be turned into an avant-garde computer game.
DAY 5
The ‘River of Tolerance’, Day Five—Not Farewell, but Goodbye!
The Youth Art Festival, organised by NEF ‘13 Centuries of Bulgaria’ under the auspices of UNESCO, is over, but the exhibition of the participants’ artworks is forthcoming
The main event of the ‘River of Tolerance’ ended with a fascinating lecture by Snezhana Yoveva-Dimitrova, Director of the State Institute for Culture at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Youth Art Festival, organised online for the first time by the ‘13 Centuries of Bulgaria’ National Endowment Fund, having been granted UNESCO’s patronage for the second time, brought together students and their lecturers from art academies in Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, and Serbia.
The participants listened with interest to the lecture, ‘The Art That Connects Us: Useful Practices, Partnerships, and International Exchange’, in which Snezhana Yoveva-Dimitrova presented various avant-garde and interactive projects that create bridges between countries and peoples.
The final live Zoom meeting was led by Assoc. Prof. Dr Venelin Shurelov, with an engrossing presentation on the development and future of digital arts in Bulgaria. Yoana Angelova, a lecturer in Photography, also from the National Academy of Arts in Sofia, shared her impressions as a participant in the festival. Joining in from Bucharest, Mihai Rusen was taking part in the ‘River of Tolerance’ for the first time, but his broad smile suggested that it would not be the last. He introduced the Romanian students and shared his latest ideas.
Lampros Psirakis of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki praised the organisation of the festival and, like everyone else, regretted that the pandemic had forced it to be held online; he hoped his Alma Mater would establish close ties with the National Academy of Arts in Sofia and that of Bucharest.
In her closing remarks, Slava Ivanova, the Executive Director of NEF ‘13 Centuries of Bulgaria’, summarised the general feeling of creativity and friendship, the desire to exchange innovative ideas and inspiration, and thanked everyone who organised and took part in the festival.
Youth group FROYD from Bulgaria gave an emotional closing musical performance.
‘River of Tolerance’ was sent off with hard rock sounds but, as Ms Ivanova said, it did not end with turning off the computer. The artworks created by the participants during the Festival will be included in a joint exhibition at a prestigious Sofia gallery.
2014
III Международен младежки арт фестивал „Река на толерантността“ – 2014
под патронажа на ЮНЕСКО
С изложба на млади автори завърши провелият се от 08 до 13 септември в гр. Самоков Международен младежки арт фестивал „Река на толерантността”.
Официални гости на изложбата бяха г-н Владимир Георгиев – кмет на Самоков и Димитър Владимиров – главен секретар на Държавната агенция за българите в чужбина. Младите художници и фотографи от България, Турция, Гърция, Сърбия и Румъния се запознаха на живо с културно-историческото наследство на Самоков и дадоха израз на своите усещания чрез изкуството.
Преплитането на различните общности и религии в Самоков през вековете е сред акцентите на създадените и предоставени за изложбата творби. Сарафската къща – културна ценност с национално значение от епохата на Възраждането, отвори врати както за участниците във фестивала, така и за изложбата.
Партньори на Фонда при осъществяването на фестивала са Община Самоков, Съюза на българските художници, Професионална техническа гимназия „Никола Й. Вапцаров“, Самоков, „Директа“, Историческият музей в града, Митрополитската църква и Графичната база.
2012
II Международен младежки арт фестивал, Самоков
От 1 до 7 септември в „Сарафската къща“ в Самоков Националният дарителски фонд „13 века България“ организира второто издание на Международния младежки арт фестивал. В рамките на фестивала, в партньорство с екипа от политическия кабинет на заместник министър-председателя и министър на финансите г-н Симеон Дянков, се реализират два проекта: „Река на толерантността” и Препис на „История славянобългарска“.
По проектите участваха студенти – художници, оператори и фотографи от България, Сърбия, Гърция, Турция, Румъния и Германия. Те посетиха митрополитската църква „Св. Успение Богородично”, девическия манастир „Покров Богородичен”, Байракли джамия, Синагогата, Графичната база на българските художници, Регионалния исторически музей и Регионалната художествена галерия.
В рамките на Фестивала се проведе уъркшоп на тема: „Представяне на различните религии през призмата на изкуството”, който се ръководи от известни художници и преподаватели от различни университети. По време на уъркшопа се създадоха художествени творби, филми и фотографии. Фестивалът даде възможност на участниците да търсят алтернативен поглед към различните религии, съжителстващи на територията на Самоковския регион.
През последния ден, всички изработени по време на фестивала творби, се експонираха в изложба в „Сарафската къща“, след което се дариха на Фонда. С тях Фондът организира пътуваща изложба.
2010
I Международен младежки Арт фестивал “Река на Толерантността”, Самоков 2010
Националният дарителски фонд „13 века България” за първи път организира от 14 до 20 септември в Самоков Международен младежки арт фестивал „Река на толерантността”.
Центърът на Фестивала е Сарафската къща, но по време на събитието се работи и се посещават различни обекти: Митрополитската църква, Девическият манастир, Байракли джамия, синагогата, графичната база на българските художници, регионалния исторически музей, регионалната художествена галерия.
В проекта участват двадесет и двама студенти художници и фотографи от Германия, Дания, Холандия и България. Поканени са и творци от региона, за да работят с участниците и да създадат съвместни артистични проекти.
В рамките на Международния арт фестивал е проведен и уъркшоп, реализиран от художници и преподаватели от Националната художествена академия в София и други български университети. Темата е: „Представяне на различните религии през призмата на изкуството”. Уъркшопът включва две части: създаване на живописни и графични произведения и на фотографии. Участниците представят творбите си пред публика с изложба на 20 септември в „Сарафската къща“.
Фестивалът се осъществява с помощта на Европейския социален фонд и оперативна програма „Развитие на човешките ресурси”.