After its successful first edition, the SPAF continues its mission under this year's motto – Paper Innovations. Thanks to the great interest in the first edition, over 200 artists participated in 6 exhibitions in 2012. The accompanying programme includes theatre shows, performances, lectures and workshops. The second edition features experiments and achievements in harmony with tradition. The big goal is to attract new audiences to support Sofia with its candidacy for European Capital of Culture in 2019.

An important highlight of the 2012 edition, besides the collaboration with professionals, emblematic galleries, theatres and museums, is the communication with young artists from the National Academy of Arts and NATFA. The partnership with the National School of Applied Arts “St. Lucca”, in a week-long open workshop led by the Scottish artist Charmian Pollock, aimed at creating a large-scale installation.

This is the second time contemporary art has been presented in the Mazda Company's business space that was turned into gallery, and where the Japanese exhibition has the festival's motto in its name. The Japanese artists masterfully blend tradition with innovation in their works.

The theatrical performances included in the festival's programme show the rethought functions of paper reimagined in set and costume design.

For the fourth consecutive year, Amateras Annual Exhibition/Competition for Paper Art took place, an exhibition bearing the name of the foundation and giving birth to the idea of the festival. The event was held at the Art Alley Gallery between 2 May and 2 June. 104 artists from 29 countries were selected in the competition!

Jury:
Joan Giordano, USA
Todor Todorov, Bulgaria
Charmian Pollock, Scotland

Awards:
Amateras Grand Prix: Helene Tschacher ;
Prize for Innovation: Irene Rammensee;
Prize for Emerging Artist: Sun Young Kang;
Prize for Bulgarian Artist: Valentin Balev;
Certificate for Art on Paper: Elmar Peintner;
Certificate for Versatility of all 3 Artworks: Jo McDonald, Alison Dean;
Certificate for Honorable Mention: Lilo Shaer, Atsumi Murata, Kathrin Dardel, Jan Fairbairn-Edwards, Loreta Valuziene, Jenny Smith, Yoshio Hasegawa, Mae Lee, Kathy Guess;
Certificate for Youngest Participant: Nikola Terziev.

The selected artists in 2012 competition:
Argentina: Eva Toker Jawerbaum, Patricia Alvarez, Barbara Paz, Alejandra Koreck;
Austria: Elmar Peintner;
Brazil: Eliana Anghinah Raicher;
Bulgaria: Adelina Rakovska, Boriana Stefanova, Danail Kondikov, Denitsa Mandieva, Dilyana Belcheva, Desislava Deneva, Daniela Tzvetkova, Fani-Margarita Yovcheva, Galina Georgieva, Galina Dokova, Ivelina Miladinova Mineva, Irma Vodeva, Krasimira Doncheva, Liliya Eftimova-Dobrinova, Milena Pacherazova, Michaela Padeva, Nelly Neicheva Sandeva,Nina Kostova Nikola Terziev, Rositsa Getsova, Simeon Panayotov, Simon Todorov, Valentin Balev , Velika Prahova , Zdravka Kostadinova;
Canada: Jean-Pierre Marchand;
Cyprus: Emel Samioğlu, Evdokia Kyrkou, Eser Kececi, Gokche Kececi, Inci Kansu, Ismet Tatar;
Finland: Anna-Maija Bergman;
France: Jan Fairbairn – Edwards, Michèle Guichard Soutif, Suhail Shaikh;
Germany: Eva Wilke, Irene Rammensee, Josephine Tabbert, Helene Tschacher;
Greece: Aria Komianou, Olga Barmazi;
Hungary: Eszter Bornemisza;
Ireland: Helen Gavigan;
Italy: Anna Hurwitz;
Japan: Atsumi Murata, Ayako Abe-Miller, Hiroaki Asahara, Mami Kawai, Yoshio Hasegawa, Sugane Hara;
Korea: Mae-Lee Lee , Paula-Jiun No, Sun Young Kang, Woo Book Lee;
Latvia: Dace Lucia Kidd;
Lithuania: Andrius Erminas, Loreta Valuziene;
Mexico: Renata Gerlero Estrada;
Netherland: Ferry Staverman, Greetje Van Den Akker;
Norway: Kari Glomsaas, Kirsti Grotmol, Vibeke Fuglsang-Damgaard;
Poland: Marek Sendyk;
Scotland: Agnes Johnstone, Charmian Pollok, Fiona R Hutchison, Jo Mcdonald, Jenny Smith;
Spain: Anabel Speedie, Mari Carmen Ruiz Ruiz;
Sweden: Kristina Häll;
Switzerland: Antoine Twerenbold, Kathrin Dardel, Elisabeth Jobin-Sanglard, Heinz Allemann, Heinz-Peter Kohler, Lilo Shaer, May-Lucy Suess;
Taiwan: Hyun-Jin Kim;
Turkey: Ayten Mungan, Yurdagul Pakalin, Nurtaç Özler, Nergiz Yeşil;
UK: Alison Margaret Dean, Brenda Parsons, Joanne Brennan, Josephine Coy, Paul Scull Harvey, Sher Christopher;
USA: Bill Pangburn , Joan Giordano, Jennifer Prevatt, Kathy Guest, Meda And Veda Rives , Renee Magnanti.

Exhibitions:
• Amateras Annual Exhibition/Competition for paper Art, Art Allery Gallery (2 May – 2 June);
• “The Paper in the Theatre”, Vivacom Art Hall (3 May – 23 May);
• “My Paper Friend”, Museum for Natural History (7 May – 19 May);
• “The Paper”, Paper Academy Section, “Boris Hristov” Musical Center (8 May – 2 June);
• “The Paper in the Theatre Poster”, Paper Academy Section, “Ivan Vazov” National Theatre (11 May – 2 June);
• “Japanese Paper Inventions”, Mazda Gallery (15 May – 2 June).

Accompanying events:
• The theatre performances “The Wandering King”, “Cardboard Dreams”, “Vagabondo”, “Commedia del’Arte”, presented at the State Puppet Theatre, School Puppet Theatre, Vivacom Art Hall and “Ariel” Theatre;
• European night of Museums (9 May);
• The Paper Street, in front of the Sofia City Art Gallery;
• Paper Carnival;
• The Gardens of Eden, outdoor paper performance, in front of Vivacom Art Hall;

Amateras Foundation thanks to all participants who played a role in the Sofia Paper Art Fest 2012!

In “Paper Innovations”, SPAF 2012, 127 artists from 29 countries participated:
Argentina: Eva Toker Jawerbaum, Patricia Alvarez, Barbara Paz, Alejandra Koreck;
Austria: Elmar Peintner;
Brazil: Eliana Anghinah Raicher;
Bulgaria: Adelina Rakovska, Atanas Temnilov, Boriana Stefanova, Borislava Zaharieva, Bojana Nikolaeva, Danail Kondikov, Denitsa Mandieva, Dilyana Belcheva, Dimitar Hinkov, Desislava Deneva, Daniela Tzvetkova, Еlena Stumbova, Fani-Margarita Yovcheva, Galina Georgieva, Galina Dokova, Ivelina Miladinova Mineva, Iva Gikova, Ivailo Nikolov, Irma Vodeva, Kalina Hristova, Krasimira Doncheva, Liliya Eftimova-Dobrinova, Magi Miteva, Маriela Stoeva, Milena Pacherazova, Maya Petrova, Michaela Padeva, Maria Angelova, Mila Kolarova, Miroslav Tzvetanov, Svila Velichkova, Ivailo Nikolov, Iva Gikova, Nelly Neicheva Sandeva, Nina Kostova, Nikola Terziev, Rositsa Getsova, Simeon Panayotov, Stefan Popoff, Silvana Ilieva, Simon Todorov, Valentin Balev, Velika Prahova, Zdravka Kostadinova;
Canada: Jean-Pierre Marchand;
Cyprus: Emel Samioğlu, Evdokia Kyrkou, Eser Kececi, Gokche Kececi, Inci Kansu, Ismet Tatar;
Finland: Anna-Maija Bergman;
France: Jan Fairbairn-Edwards, Michèle Guichard Soutif, Suhail Shaikh;
Germany: Eva Wilke, Irene Rammensee, Josephine Tabbert, Helene Tschacher;
Greece: Aria Komianou, Olga Barmazi;
Hungary: Eszter Bornemisza;
Ireland: Helen Gavigan;
Italy: Anna Hurwitz;
Japan: Atsumi Murata, Ayako Abe-Miller, Hiroaki Asahara, Kakuko Ishii, Mami Kawai, Mami Fudjima, Yoshio Hasegawa, Naoyo Yamamoto, Sugane Hara;
Korea: Mae-Lee Lee, Paula-Jiun No, Sun Young Kang, Woo Book Lee;
Latvia: Dace Lucia Kidd;
Lithuania: Andrius Erminas, Loreta Valuziene;
Mexico: Renata Gerlero Estrada;
Netherland: Ferry Staverman, Greetje Van Den Akker;
Norway: Kari Glomsaas, Kirsti Grotmol, Vibeke Fuglsang-Damgaard;
Poland: Marek Sendyk;
Scotland: Agnes Johnstone, Charmian Pollock, Fiona R Hutchison, Jo McDonald, Jenny Smith;
Spain: Anabel Speedie, Mari Carmen Ruiz;
Sweden: Kristina Häll;
Switzerland: Antoine Twerenbold, Dardel Kathrin, Elisabeth Jobin-Sanglard, Heinz Allemann, Heinz-Peter Kohler, Lilo Shaer, May-Lucy Suess;
Taiwan: Hyun-Jin Kim;
Turkey: Ayten Mungan, Yurdagul Pakalin, Nurtaç Özler, Nergiz Yeşil;
UK: Alison Margaret Dean, Brenda Parsons, Charmian Pollock, Joanne Brennan, Josephine Coy, Paul Scull Harvey, Sher Christopher;
USA: Bill Pangburn, Joan Giordano, Jennifer Prevatt, Kathy Guest, Meda And Veda Rives, Renee Magnanti.

The main contributors in Theatre Section (performances, trailers, installations, movies, video, photography, costumes, and scenography) are:
Katya Petrova – Director
Elza Laleva - Director And Music
Jenny Pashova - Producer
Magi Miteva – Director And Artist
Maya Petrova – Artist
Miroslav Tzvetanov – Miro Director And Artist
Petar Pashov - Director
Ruben Garabedian - Producer
Stefan Popoff – Artist And Curator

Almost 120 actors from various theatres participated in the festival’ theatre section:
Sofia Puppet Theater;
Theatre “La Strada”;
Theatre “Ariel”;
Theatre “Elephant”;
Theatre “Flower”;
Lumagi;
Puppet Theatre – Sliven;
Puppet Theatre – Vidin;
Bulgarian National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts;
Academy Of Art And Theatre – Plovdiv.

Also, over 140 students from the National High School for Applied Arts “St. Luka” and the National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts “Krastyo Sarafov” participated.

Amateras Foundation is sincerely grateful to all institutions, sponsors, spaces and media partners who supported Sofia Paper Art Fest 2012!

Institutions:
Sofia Municipality
Association for Development of Sofia
Vivacom Funds
British Council

Museums and galleries:
Sofia City Art Gallery
National Museum of Natural History, Sofia
“Boris Hristov” Museum
Art Alley Gallery
Mazda Gallery

Educational institutions:
National Academy of Arts, Sofia
NATFA
144 High School

Theatres:
Sofia Puppet Theater
Theatre “La Strada”
Theatre “Ariel”
Theatre “Elephant”
Theatre “Flower”
Lumagi
Puppet Theatre – Sliven
Puppet Theatre – Vidin
Bulgarian National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts
Academy Of Art And Theatre – Plovdiv

Private companies:
Mazda
Vivacom Art Hall
Superprint
Gmund
Katarzyna
Stagemasters
Number ONE
Duropack
Arte Hotel

Media partners:
Bulgarian National Radio
JazzFM Lounge
Metro
Darik Radio
VТV
Alma Mater TV
Sofia Live
Osem Magazine
A Week in Sofia Mag
View Sofia