The Institute of Art Studies at BAS awarded its annual Animated Heritage prize for outstanding contribution to the creative interpretation of traditions and values from Bulgarian and world cultural heritage in contemporary works of art. The 2025 prize in the “Visual Arts” category was awarded to sculptor Georgi Chapkanov for his entire body of work. Professor Chapkanov is the co-author of the coat of arms of the Republic of Bulgaria (1997) and the author of the “Statue of Sofia” in the capital (2000). He is also the author of many coins and medals and has created portraits of some of Bulgaria's most famous personalities. His works are exhibited in the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, the Pushkin Museum in Moscow, the National Art Gallery, the [...]

A bilingual scientific catalog presenting works of art from the collections of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences has been published. Art, as a natural companion to science since the Renaissance and the Enlightenment, has retained a special place in its structures and institutions. On the occasion of its 155th anniversary, the leadership of our oldest scientific institution commissioned a team from the Institute for Art Studies to carry out a research project related to the selection and cataloguing of part of the art collections. The BAS preserves in its collections both priceless works of high artistic value and symbolic images and testimonies to its history and cultural heritage. This anniversary album edition also contributes to the dissemination of knowledge about the arts by identifying and [...]

An international interdisciplinary scientific conference “The Arts and Migration(s): Reflections and Responsibilities” was held in Valletta, Malta. The forum was organized by the European Alliance of Academies in partnership with the Arts Council Malta. The Institute of Art Studies has been the representative of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences in the Alliance since 2021. Prof. Dr. Joanna Spassova-Dikova, Director of the Institute, was among the participants. Workshops and discussions were held. One of the initiatives was a special round table, “Café Climate”, dedicated to climate changes and various crises, and more specifically to the topic of migration. The role of arts in integration and enriching intercultural dialogue was highlighted. On the last day, a statement was prepared and adopted by all participants to increase the [...]