The eleventh edition of the festival presents a diverse program of cascading events throughout the year. The unusually long period is in conformity with the strategy of maximum publicity containing two panels – a spring and an autumn one.

Covid-19 and the social distance suggested new conditions and challenges for the development of cultural events, which is why the festival program has a hybrid content – physical and digital. It includes exhibitions, online discussion, workshops in urban environments with digital reflections, webinar, online lectures, competition for teenagers and film screenings. Sofia Paper Art Fest continues to enjoy international popularity as one of the most prestigious forums associated with the magic of paper.

The festival opens with the solo exhibition "Emotions" by Jeannine de Raeymaecker (Belgium), winner of the Prize for Innovation of Amateras Annual Exhibition/Competition for Paper Art 2019. Her paper works are exhibited in the magnificent space of the San Stefano Gallery. Despite its exquisiteness, the exhibition questions the consumerism and the environmental issues of contemporary society through the use of recycled paper from products.

Remaining true to homage to the beautiful and ecological art, SPAF enters into a serious debate with other communities, urban culture and art in public spaces. A discussion on the topic takes place on 14.04.2021. The autumn panel includes travelling digital formats and an expansion of the virtual projects and lectures, also adapted in foreign languages.

The events are spread across six locations, with Sofia Paper Art Fest having the pleasure of being a guest of Rayko Alexiev Gallery at the Union of Bulgarian Artists, the Sredets Gallery at the Ministry of Culture and the Contrast Gallery for the first time. Permanent partners who have hosted large-scale exhibitions in recent years are the National Palace of Culture, the "Triangular Tower of Serdica" at the Regional History Museum – Sofia and the San Stefano Gallery.

For the thirteenth consecutive year, the exposition that gave birth to the idea of the festival and that is named after the foundation opens its doors. Transformed from a competition for small-format paper works, the event presents large-format works – objects, sculptures, two-dimensional works, and installations – impressive for their wide variety of ideas and techniques. Host is the National Palace of Culture. 60 artists from 23 countries have been selected for the competition!

Jury:
Todor Todorov
Boris Danailov
Irina Mutafchieva

Awards:
Amateras Grand Prix: Eszter Bornemisza;
Prize for Bulgarian Artist: Valentin Bakardjiev;
Certificate for Honorable Mention: Kenji Sato, MariaMatyja-Rozpara, Nobuko Ueda, Jeannine De Raeymaecker;

The selected artists in the 2021 competition:
Argentina: Leticia Burgos;
Austria: Elmar Peintner, Wilhelm Schramm;
Brazil: Eliana Anghinah, Angela Barbour;
Belgium: Jeannine De Raeymaecker;
Bulgaria: Anna Boyadjieva, Atanas Michaltchev, Antonia Tabakova,Darina Peeva, Gergana Ivanova, Galina Dokova, Kristina Yakimova,Laura Dimitrova, Margarita Dopcheva, Maria Dryanovska, Martina Karaivanova, Stela Modevа, Simona Vladimirova, Tatiana Karamalakova,Trayana Panayotova, Tsveta Petrova, Veselka Nikolova, ValentinBakardjiev, Zdravka Kostadinova;
Canada: Michel Gautier, Karen Trask;
France: Marianne Colombani, Marcelle Benhamou, Pascal Pistacio;
Finland: Anna-Maija Bergman;
Germany: Renate Schweizer, Verena Friedrich, Helene Tschaher,Irene Rammensee, Michael Otto;
Greece: Cristiana Iliopolos;
Hungary: Eszter Bornemisza;
Israel: Josefa Gal;
Japan: Atsumi Murata, Kakuko Ishii, Kendji Sato, Nobuko Ueda,Yukiko Maeda, Shiho Naito, Sumie Matsuura, Wakako Ishisone, NorikoAmano;
Mexico: Ioulia Akhmadeeva, Josefina Temin;
The Netherlands: Aliza Thomas;
Norway: Kirsti Grotmol;
Poland: Maria Matyja-Rozpara;
Slovakia: Miroslav Broos;
Slovenia: Metka Pepelnak;
Turkey: Sukran Tumer;
Romania: Adriana Lucaciu;
UK: Jane Walker;
USA: Anne Marble.

The program includes eight exhibitions featuring over 200 artists from 30 countries. Dividing the program into two panels aims at a wider audience reach, greater coverage in the digital world and social networks, attracting audiences without crowding and presenting visual art in a period of restrictions.

Exhibitions:
• “Emotions”, solo exhibition by Jeannine De Raeymaecker, San Stefano Gallery, Main salon (2 – 17 April);
• “Laconically”, digital project in three parts by Daniela Todorova (31 May);
• “Amateras Exhibition/Competition for Paper Art”, National Palace of Culture, West Foyer (10 – 29 June);
• “Ornaments”, solo exhibition by Krasimira Drenska, National Palace of Culture, Marble Foyer (10 – 29 June);
• “Collages 66”, solo exhibition by Zorina Milkovska, Contrast Gallery (15 – 30 June);
• “Hidden Messages”, Japanese paper art, Amateras Collection, Triangular Tower of Serdica, Regional History Museum –Sofia (20 September – 20 October);
• “Streich”, jubilee exhibition of Todor Todorov, Rayko Alexiev Gallery (19 November – 4 December);
• “Mizuhiki”, solo exhibition of Kakuko Ishii, Sredets Gallery, Ministry of Culture (24 November – 8 December).

Accompanying events:
• Discussion “The Contemporary Arts in Urban Environment and Alternative Spaces”. Participants in the discussion are representatives from the municipality, different institutions and professional structures (14 April);
• Theatre performance “Adventures with Ship” and workshop for children, Largo (5 June);
• Japan Bowl III, competition for Japanese language and culture, organised together with the Embassy of Japan in Bulgaria and JSEEBA, National Palace of Culture (12 June).

Presentations and lectures:
• Panel Lectures "Innovations in an Urban Environment" by Todor Todorov, 7 lectures for general and professional audience, on YouTube;
•Digital formats and innovations – presentations of foreign projects with contribution for the urban environment (17 April).

Amateras Foundation thanks to all participants who played a role in the Sofia Paper Art Fest 2021:

Visual artists:
Argentina: Leticia Burgos;
Austria: Elmar Peintner, Wilhelm Schramm;
Brazil: Eliana Anghinah, Angela Barbour;
Belgium: Jeannine De Raeymaecker;
Bulgaria: Anna Boyadjieva, Аtanas Michaltchev, Antonia Tabakova,Daniela Todorova, Darina Peeva, Gergana Ivanova, Galina Dokova,Krasimira Drenska, Kristina Yakimova, Laura Dimitrova, MargaritaDopcheva, Maria Dryanovska, Martina Karaivanova, Stela Modevа,Simona Vladimirova, Tatiana Karamalakova, Todor Todorov, TrayanaPanayotova, Tsveta Petrova, Veselka Nikolova, Valentin Bakardjiev,Zdravka Kostadinova, Zorina Milkovska;
Canada: Michel Gautier, Karen Trask;
France: Marianne Colombani, Marcelle Benhamou, Pascal Pistacio;
Finland: Anna-Maija Bergman;
Germany: Renate Schweizer, Verena Friedrich, Helene Tschaher,Irene Rammensee, Michael Otto;
Greece: Cristiana Iiiopolos;
Hungary: Eszter Bornemisza;
Israel: Josefa Gal;
Japan: Atsumi Murata, Ichiro Mitsuo, Kakuko Ishii, KazunobuYanagi, Kendji Sato, Kihachiro Nishiura, Koko Shimomura, KiyoshiJunohara, Mayumi Tsukuda, Miki Nakamura, Mitsue Ito, Miyuki Tanyama,Mitsuru Kuroki, Nobuko Ueda, Noriko Amano, Yasuko Iyanaga, YoshioIkezaki, Yoshio Hasegawa, Yuki Tsubuyama, Yoshinobu Suzuka, YukoNishimura, Yukiko Maeda, Shiho Naito, Sumie Matsuura, Sumiko Tasaka,Shoko Fukuda, Toru Kurita, Wakako Ishisone, Noriko Amano;
Mexico: Ioulia Akhmadeeva, Josefina Temin;
The Netherlands: Aliza Thomas;
Norway: Kirsti Grotmol;
Poland: Maria Matyja-Rozpara;
Slovakia: Miroslav Broos;
Slovenia: Metka Pepelnak;
Turkey: Sukran Tumer;
Romania: Adriana Lucaciu;
UK: Jane Walker;
USA: Anne Marble.

Pannel discussions and presenters of projects:
Vesela Kondakova
Bilyana Genova
Todor Todorov
Daniela Todorova
Svetoslav Nikolov
Vladiya Mihaylova
Veselin Dimov
Viktoria Gradanova
Jenny Decheva
Boyana Djikova

Amateras Foundation is sincerely grateful to all institutions, sponsors, spaces and media partners who supported Sofia Paper Art Fest 2021!

Institutions:
Ministry of Culture, Bulgaria
National Culture Fund, Bulgaria
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bulgaria
Ministry of Tourism, Bulgaria
Sofia Municipality
Embassy of Japan in Bulgaria
Embassy of Belgium in Bulgaria
Japanese Foundation
National Palace of Culture
Union of Bulgarian Artists

Museums and Galleries:
Regional History Museum – Sofia
Rayko Alexiev Gallery
San Stefano Gallery
Sredets Gallery
Contrast Gallery

Associations:
IAPMA – USA
NEXUS – Japan
JSEEBA – Japan-Southeast Europe Business Association
JBBA – Japan-Bulgaria Business Association
Kagetsu Association

Educational institutions:
18th SOU William Gladstone
138th Prof. Asen Zlatarski School
SU Vasil Levski, Rousse
Japonist Club
Private Companies:
JTI
Takeda
SEIKO
Number ONE
Nikolana

Media partners:
Bulgarian News Agency
Bulgarian National Radio
TV1
JazzFM