Beyond the Surface
Sofia Paper Art Fest 2026
For the sixteenth consecutive year, Sofia Paper Art Fest will present the best of the world of paper art. This year’s festival motto is “Beyond the Surface”.
Sofia Paper Art Fest 2026 was officially opened at the Spring Salon оf The Arts at the National Palace of Culture, reaffirming its position as one of the most significant international events dedicated to contemporary paper art.
The event was officially opened on behalf of the National Palace of Culture by Ms. Andriyana Petkova, and on behalf of Amateras Foundation by Todor Todorov and Daniela Todorova.
This year, Sofia Paper Art Fest celebrates 10 years of successful partnership with the National Palace of Culture. Special thanks were expressed to Ms. Andriyana Petkova for the outstanding collaboration between the two institutions.
The festival brings together artists from around the world and presents a rich program of exhibitions, installations, workshops, and artistic encounters focused on innovative practices in paper art. Through a diversity of techniques, approaches, and concepts, the event creates a platform for cultural exchange and dialogue between different artistic scenes.
The Paper Art Biennale presented outstanding achievements through large-scale works in various directions of paper art.
A highlight of the opening was the award ceremony of the annual exhibition/competition for paper art, presenting a selection of 61 artists from 18 countries.
Jury members:
Todor Todorov (Chairman) – President of Amateras Foundation
Assoc. Prof. Boris Danailov – Art Historian
Nadezhda Dzhakova – Director of Sofia Arsenal, Museum of Contemporary Art / National Gallery
AWARDS:
AMATERAS GRAND PRIX
Wilhelm Schramm, Austria
Award for Bulgarian Artist
Ekaterina Hristova
UNI CREDIT BULBANK Young Artist Award
Kalina Ivanova, Bulgaria
ART ON PAPER Award
Tamaki Sato, Japan
Diploma for Best Presentation of 3 Artworks
Ursula von Kirchback, Germany
3 Certificates for Honorable Mention
Desislava Alexandrova, Bulgaria
Sirin Yilmaz, Turkey
Hanna Rozpara, Poland
The GRAND PRIX for 2026 is awarded to Wilhelm Schram (Austria) for his outstandingartistic achievement and contribution to contemporary paper art.
The event was attended by official representatives of diplomatic missions and culturalinstitutions:
EMBASSY OF JAPAN
Mr. Hideaki Machida – Counsellor
Mr. Kento Muraki – Cultural Attaché
Mr. Yasuhiro Ikuta – First Secretary, Political Section
Ms. Yuka Wakui – Administrative Attaché
EMBASSY OF BRAZIL
Ms. Carol Castillo Arguello – Vice Consul and Head of Administrative Department
EMBASSY OF CHINA
Ms. Zhang Yanbo – Consul, Head of Culture, Tourism and Sports
Mr. Peng Yu – Second Secretary for Cultural Affairs
POLISH INSTITUTE
Ms. Małgorzata Hejduk-Gromek – Director
Ms. Swetla Karaneszewa – Chief Organizer
An official speech was delivered by Mr. Hideaki Machida, who highlighted 20 years of cultural dialogue with Amateras Foundation and announced upcoming events within theAutumn Salon of the Arts.
Sofia Paper Art Fest continues its mission to develop and promote paper art while buildingsustainable international partnerships and supporting both established and emerging artists.
The opening at the National Palace of Culture marks the beginning of a series of events thattransform Sofia into an international stage for contemporary art.
Sofia Paper Art Fest is a member of the Bulgarian Festivals Association.
PROGRAM
April 28 – May 16
Official opening at the National Palace of Culture (NPC)
Amateras Exhibition/Competition for Paper Art ’26 – Marble Foyer
Paper Art Biennale – West Foyer
May 14 – June 14
“Traces” – sculpture exhibition by Todor Todorov (Bulgaria) and Shiao Rong Shen (Taiwan), Serdica Triangle Tower, Regional History Museum – Sofia
May 27 – June 15
Maria Matyja-Rozpara – Grand Prix Amateras 2025, solo exhibition, Polish Cultural Institute
June 16 – July 31
Bulgarian–Brazilian art project, Mission Gallery at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
June 17 – June 23
NEW HORIZONS – Bulgaria–Brazil, residency project with exhibition, workshop, andpresentations, Community Center “Georgi Partsalev”, town of Levski
September 4 – October 1
Amateras Collection – 37th Days of Japanese Culture in Bulgaria, guest exhibition of Japanese art, Green Educational Center – Shabla
September 7
Japanese Breeze – 37th Days of Japanese Culture in Bulgaria, guest exhibition of Japaneseart, Albena Resort
October 1 – October 20
Japanese Graphic Design GGG, anniversary collection of DNP Foundation Japan, Salon of the Arts and Days of Japanese Culture, NPC
October 6 – November 1
Paper Art Biennale – guest exhibition from China, Serdica Triangle Tower, Regional HistoryMuseum – Sofia
October 12 – December 31
Paper Innovations – guest exhibition of SPAF, Espacio Contemporáneo de Arte (ECA), Mendoza, Argentina
October 19 – November 8
Folded Surfaces – 37th Days of Japanese Culture in Bulgaria, Japanese contemporary art, Mazda Gallery
November 1 – November 20
Todor Todorov – anniversary exhibition marking the artist’s 75th birthday, West Foyer, NPC
December 15 – January 15
Petar Lazarov – Award for Bulgarian Author 2024, solo exhibition, Serdica Gallery
Accompanying Events:
April 28
Demonstration of Japanese calligraphy by Minoru Goto, NDK
April 29
“Feeling Japanese Calligraphy with Your Body” – workshop with Minoru Goto, NDK
April 30
“Try Writing Japanese with Calligraphy” – workshop and demonstration with Minoru Goto,
18th Secondary School “William Gladstone”
April 30
Demonstration by Phenix Varbanov – paper technique and experiment, NDK
May
Presentation of the monograph of Todor Todorov
May 28
Recycling and Creating – workshop by Maria Matyja-Rozpara during the Night of Museumsand Galleries, Polish Cultural Institute
June 16
“The Role of Contemporary Art as a Factor in Building Civil Society” – debate with artistsfrom Bulgaria and Brazil, Mission Gallery
June 24
Paper from the Amazon – workshop by Brazilian artists participating in the residency, Community Center “Georgi Partsalev”, town of Levski
September 4
“Conference of the Bulgarian Festivals Association”, Varna
September 5
Paper Techniques – workshop for adults, demonstrator Daniela Todorova
Japanese Kites – lecture by Daniela Todorova, Green Educational Center – Shabla
October
SPAF and its role as a platform for innovation – lecture with screenings and workshop, Espacio Contemporáneo de Arte (ECA), Mendoza, Argentina
November
Japan Bowl VII – competition for youth in Japanese language and culture, under thepatronage of the Embassy of Japan
Sofia Paper Art Fest 2026 is realized with the financial support of Program “Visual Arts” of the Ministry of Culture; Calendar of Cultural Events of Sofia Municipality for 2026; Program“Creation and/or distribution – small projects 2025” of the National Culture Fund, and StarMotors Bulgaria.