The 12th edition of Sofia Paper Art Fest affirms the tendency for hybrid events, which started in the new conditions of social distance during Covid-19. The program includes traditional and virtual exhibitions, online discussions, workshops in the urban environment with digital versions, online lectures, a competition for teenagers, film screenings, presentations, travelling formats and independent projects. Over the years, the event has maintained its identity and this year it presents curated exhibitions with works from the Amateras Collection and the boutique format Art Book. Some of the exhibitions have been invited to represent the festival in 2023 in other countries.

A highlight of the program is the Paper Art Biennale, the most prestigious format for high achievements in paper art, held for the fifth time since the festival's launch in 2011.

The festival stays true to its homage to aesthetically beautiful and ecological art, while also entering into a serious debate with various structures relating to urban culture and art in public spaces.

The events are situated in seven locations in Sofia and two in Pavlikeni, some of which are permanent partners of the festival: National Palace of Culture, Triangular Tower of Serdica, Regional History Museum – Sofia, Mazda Gallery, San Stefano Gallery, Finesse Gallery, Contrast Gallery, Historical Museum in Pavlikeni, and the Community Centre “Bratstvo – 1884“ in Pavlikeni.

For the first year in the history of Sofia Paper Art Fest, the Amateras Exhibition/Competition for Paper Art was postponed due to the complicated logistical situation worldwide. However, award-winning artists from previous years were presented with solo exhibitions:

Amateras Grand Prix 2021: Eszter Bornemisza;

Prize for Bulgarian Artist: Valentin Bakardjiev;

Prize for Innovation: Atsumi Murata.

The program is divided into two panels: spring (3 March – 30 June) and autumn one (20 September – 30 November), with the aim of reaching wider audiences, increase visibility in digital social networks, attract audiences without the inevitability of crowding, opening the way for new technologies and independent presentation of visual art in dynamic conditions of constraints.

Exhibitions:
• “Art Book”, Paper Art Biennial, main building of Regional History Museum – Sofia (2 May – 1 June);
• “The Old New”, Paper Art Biennial, Triangular Tower of Serdica, Regional History Museum – Sofia (10 May – 10 June);
• “Unspoken”, Paper Art Biennial, main salon of San Stefano Gallery (12 May – 8 June);
• “Japanese Whisper”, Paper Art Biennial, Mazda Gallery (31 May – 30 June);
• “City Relations”, a solo exhibition of Eszter Bornemisza (Grand Prix 2021), National Palace of Culture (8 June – 24 June);
• “Le Grand Bleu”, a solo exhibition of Valentin Bakardjiev (Prize for Bulgarian Artist 2021), Contrast Gallery (1 July – 14 July);
• “East-West”, Bulgarian-German exchange project, Community Centre “Bratstvo – 1884”, Pavlikeni (2 July – 2 September);
• “Forms of Paper”, Paper Art Biennial, project by Atsumi Murata and Wakako Ishisone, Days of Japanese Culture in Bulgaria, Triangular Tower of Serdica, Regional History Museum – Sofia (1 September – 30 September);
• “Nordic Art”, Paper Art Biennial, part of the project “United in Art”, Finesse Gallery (13 October – 5 November);
• “East-West”, Bulgarian-German exchange project, Paper Art Biennial, Finesse Gallery (10 November – 3 December).

Events that took place abroad:
• “Streich”, Brigit Gallery, Brussels (1 March – 30 March);
• Screening of the film “A Portrait of Todor Todorov”, Brussels, Belgium (3 March);
• “Streich”, Belfius Bank Rue de la Loi, Brussels, Belgium (21 April – 31 August);
• Sculptural Symposium, Resistencia, Chaco, Argentina (19 July – 25 July).

Accompanying events:
• “Art Book”, workshop for children, Regional History Museum – Sofia (1 June);
• Japan Bowl IV, competition for Japanese language and culture, Park Hotel Moskva (21 May);
• “Dynamics in the Visual Arts”, 4 lectures by Todor Todorov (30 June – 30 November);
• “The Object”, digital project by Daniela Todorova (15 July – 30 September);
• “The Role of New Technologies in the Art”, discussion, RCCA Toplocentrala (17 October);
• “The Role of New Technologies in the Sculpture”, discussion, Finesse Gallery (11 November);
• “Presentations of Bulgarian and German artists”, “East –West” project, Finesse Gallery (11 November);
• “The Sculpture in Urban Environment”, lectures, Finesse Gallery (12 November);
• Presentations of international organisations – Sculpture Network, IAPMA, Cartasia, NEXUS, Finesse Gallery (12 November);
• Presentation of the book “Dynamics in the Visual Arts”, Triangular Tower of Serdica, Regional History Museum – Sofia (29 December).

Amateras Foundation thanks to all participants who played a role in the Sofia Paper Art Fest 2022!

In “New Horizons”, SPAF 2022, 109 artists from 23 countries participated:

Argentina: Floki Gauvry, Sofia Nordmann and Leticia Burgos;
Austria: Wilhelm Schramm;
Brazil: Eliana Anghinah and Angela Barbour;
Belgium: Jeannine De Raeymaecker;
Bulgaria: Anna Boyadjieva, Antonia Duende, Аtanas Michaltchev, Adelina Rakovska, Veska Abad, Valentin Bakardjiev, Vesela Kondakova, Veselin Dimov, Daniela Todorova, Elena Kapelova, Krasimira Drenska, Laura Dimitrova, Maria Dryanovska, Manya Vaptsarova, Mihail Artamontzev, Mihaela Todorova, Momchil Alexiev, Nelly Sand, Snejana Simeonova, Stela Modeva, Todoro Todorov, Teodora Ilieva, Tsveta Petrova, and Zlatka Andreeva;
UK: Jane Walker;
Germany: Beata Wölz, Verena Friedrich, Irene Hoppenberg, Irene Rammensee, Ines Seidel, Ilka Raupach, Josephine Tabbert, Lore Galitz, Marie Schirrmacher-Meitz, Renate Schweizer, Oksana Bergen, Sofia Nordmann, Ute Krautkremer, Helmut Friedrich, and Jutta Barth;
Greece: Christiana Illiopolous;
Denmark: IngveRibel, Ida Guldhammer, Kate Skjerning, and Henriette Tougaard;
Israel: Laura Behar;
Iceland: Hrafn Hrólfsson and Ragnhildur Stefansdottir;
Canada: Joyce Ryckman;
Cyprus: Inci Kansu and Ismet Tatar;
Columbia: Miriam Londono;
Mexico: Josefina Temin;
Norway: Vibeke Damgaard, Eva Sjøwall, Ellen Ringstag, Hanne Frey Husø, Kirsti Grotmol, andPeter Easdale;
USA: Nicole Donneley, Helen Frederick, Bill Pangburn, Ray Tomasso, and Priscilla Robinson;
Hungary: Eszter Bornemisza;
Finland: Anna-Maija Bergman, Liisa Malkamo, Laina Koskela, Niina Keltamäki, and Tuulikki Päällysaho;
France: Marianne Colombani, Marcelle Benhamou, Michel Letier, and Bruno David;
The Netherlands: Aliza Thomas and Frans Baake;
Sweden: Margarette Mannerwik;
Switzerland: Gerda Ritzmann;
Japan: Ayako Miller, Atsumi Murata, Ichiro Matsue, Yoshio Hasegawa, Yoshio Ikezaki, Yoshiaki Kajigawa, Kakuko Ishii, Kendji Sato, Mitsuru Kuroki, Miki Nakamura, MitsueIto, Miyuki Tanyama, Noriko Amano, Nobuko Ueda,Ritsuko Jinnouchi, Sumiko Tasaka, Toru Kurita, Wakako Ishisone, Yuki Tsuboyama, Yukiko Maeda, Yuko Nishimura, and Yasuko Iyanaga.

Amateras Foundation is sincerely grateful to all institutions, sponsors, spaces and media partners who supported Sofia Paper Art Fest 2022!

Institutions:
Ministry of Culture, Bulgaria
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bulgaria
National Culture Fund, Bulgaria
Ministry of Tourism, Bulgaria
Embassy of Belgium in Bulgaria
Embassy of Japan in Bulgaria
Embassy of Hungary in Bulgaria
Sofia Municipality
Pavlikeni Foundation
Japanese Foundation
State Cultural Institute, Bulgaria
Liszt Institute – Hungarian Cultural Institute

Museums and Galleries:
National Palace of Culture
Brigit Art Gallery, Brussels
Belfius Bank Gallery, Brussels
Regional History Museum – Sofia
Historical Museum, Pavlikeni
Triangular Tower of Serdica, Regional History Museum – Sofia
RCCA Toplocentrala
Contrast Gallery
Mazda Gallery
San Stefano Gallery
Finesse Gallery

Associations:
IAPMA – USA
NEXUS – Japan
Sculpture Network
JSEEBA
Cartasia
Nakanishi
Nihon Tomono-Kai
Nikolana
Travel Club

Educational Institutions:
18th SOU William Gladstone
138th Prof. Asen Zlatarski School
SU Vasil Levski, Rousse
Kokoro, Sofia
Kizuna, Varna
Japanese-American Society

Private Companies:
Mazda
Number One
JTI
JBBA
Takeda
Seiko
Katarzyna

Media Partners:
Bulgarian News Agency
Bulgarian National Television
TV1
Bulgarian National Radio
JazzFM