Press Conference Presented the Program of the Contemporary Art Festival – Ruse 2026

Today, May 15, an official press conference for the upcoming edition of the Contemporary Art Festival – Ruse 2026 was held at the Ruse Art Gallery.

The meeting with the media was attended by curators Eliza Kalosi (Germany) and Ina Valentinova, as well as several of the participating artists – Stella Lie (Romania), Yona Pelovska (Canada), Kaloyan Ivanov, Stefania Stoeva, and Anton Tsanev (Bulgaria). The event was also attended by the gallery’s director, Eslitsa Popova, and members of the festival team.

During the press conference, the main highlights of this year’s program were presented, including exhibitions, video projects, artistic interventions, lectures, and meetings with artists across various locations in the city. The curatorial team spoke about the festival’s concept and its aim to create an active dialogue between contemporary art, the urban environment, and the audience.

One of the key topics discussed was the artists’ expectations regarding their encounter with the audience in Ruse, and the ways in which the different events could provoke reactions, conversations, and personal experiences. The participants emphasized that they see the festival not only as an exhibition platform, but also as a space for exchange between artists, audiences, and the urban context.

The artists presented some of their projects and the themes they explore within the festival—personal memory, social environment, visual culture, technology, and ecological processes.

The Contemporary Art Festival – Ruse 2026 begins on May 16 and will take place across various cultural and urban spaces in the city, including the Canetti House and the Ruse Art Gallery.

A full recording of the press conference can be viewed HERE