On 15 May 2026, the Zahariy Zograph National Painting Prize was presented at a ceremony held at the Prof. Vasil Zahariev City Art Gallery in Samokov. The award, set up by the Union of Bulgarian Artists, is a measure of the highest creative achievements in the fine arts.
Artist Dolores Dilova is the new winner of the 2025 prize—a statuette of Zahariy Zograph by sculptor Georgi Chapkanov.
During the ceremony, awards were also given to children who had competed in the children’s drawing contest. The awards to the winners in the competition were presented by Prof. Aksinia Džurova, Jury Chair, and representatives of the Fund.
In 2026, the ‘13 Centuries Bulgaria’ National Endowment Fund made another donation to Samokov Municipality with the intention that the funding will be used to buy materials for the children competing in the National Children’s Drawing Competition, part of the 2026 Zahariy Zograph National Painting Prize.