The culture of Bulgaria is our most delicate social fabric. Elaborately crafted, diligently nurtured, quietly mastered – on one hand; vulnerable and hence easily susceptible to pressure, change and the habitual barbarism – on the other. Nevertheless, culture refuses to abandon us so easily to banalities, rampant herd consumerism and oblivion. While, until recently, it was mainly the residents and guests of the capital who were regularly graced by it, in more recent times, it once again "sprouts" in some of its most natural Bulgarian environments – the Bulgarian Renaissance cities of Veliko Tarnovo, Ruse... and Gabrovo. Even for the unacquainаted, a brief stroll is enough to clearly understand that Gabrovo knows very well what cultural fabric is, brimming with the tradition of threads wondrously woven into magical inspiration. The only thing it needs is new weavers.
Detail from the former Textile Professional School in Gabrovo, 2021 © Rosina Pencheva
"New Weavers" is a musical experience with a culturally adventurous character, which will take the audience to the Non-hazardou Waste Landfill and the former Textile Professional School in Gabrovo, as well as to other excitng places on September 30th. Through music, this one-day micro-festival will resonate within the spaces of the abandoned tech school in three original ways.
The special bus pilgrimage will be soundtracked by the music of the electroacoustic avant-gardist Miryan Kolev, currently based in Tryavna, whose original projects present music with an intellectual and meditative, but also modern character.
Weaving machine in the former Textile Professional School in Gabrovo, 2023 © Rosina Pencheva
The second part of our weaving along the notes awakens the spirits of the looms (or at least their spirits) in the building of the former Textile Professional School. The program will kick off with a performance by pianist and composer Teodor Petkov-Toto – a magical piano-and-internali-dialogues by a true local maestro. Following him, one of the newest Bulgarian ethno-jazz projects – that of the duo Beleva and Hadzhigrudev – will vividly demonstrate how the gadulka and the double bass can magically weave together. The climax – staying true to the concept of continuity and sustainability – features the magnificent Balkanton Vinyl Party by DJ Skill himself – a hip-hop and vinyl culture legend, as well as a proven favorite on the national club scene.
This one-day adventurous endeavor in sustainability, continuity and newfound inspiration breathes life into Gabrovo's alternative cultural scene, provoking the necessity for diverse forms of artistic expression. "New Weavers" intertwines the themes of art, architectural heritage, and ecology into the natural fabric of life in Gabrovo.
Тhe duo Beleva & Hadzhigrudev, photo © Darina Zlatkova
Event’s identity: Ivaylo Nikolov and Ivan Hadzhivelikov for Stretch
"New Weavers for Gabrovo" is a cultural program, produced and curated by Rosina Pencheva for Capturing Creativity
with the financial support of the Gabrovo Municipality, "Culture" 2023 program, priority "Creative Experience and Socialization of Spaces",
the Ministry of Culture, Bulgaria, "Distribution of performances and concerts in the field of musical art" program, 2023
and National Culture Fund, "Recovery and Development of Private Cultural Organizations" program, 2022
