On 6 August 2026, the Dobrich Art Gallery will be the first venue of the travelling exhibition “Ruse Painting School” – a project of the Ruse Art Gallery dedicated to one of the significant phenomena in the city’s artistic life during the second half of the 20th century.

The exhibition presents paintings and sculptures by 23 artists associated with the artistic community of Ruse during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The selection traces three decades in which a community of distinctive individual voices emerged in Ruse, each with a different artistic language, yet united by the city’s unique cultural atmosphere.

The Ruse Painting School is not defined by a single style or common artistic method. Its richness lies precisely in its diversity – from lyrical sensitivity and realistic imagery to expressive and more experimental approaches. The city, the Danube and nature, interiors, the human figure, and everyday life are among the themes through which the artists developed their individual positions.

The exhibition’s presentation in Dobrich marks the beginning of its journey beyond Ruse and its encounter with new audiences. The project is conceived not simply as a presentation of works from the museum collection, but as an opportunity to rediscover the artists and the cultural environment in which they worked.

For this reason, the exhibition is accompanied by additional content – biographical and archival materials, short documentary films, educational brochures for children, and specially developed materials and souvenirs. These offer different ways of engaging with the artworks and transform the exhibition into a space not only for viewing, but also for discovery, learning, and personal experience.

The exhibition also takes place within a broader context of cultural exchange between the two institutions. In July and August, the Ruse Art Gallery is hosting “Paper”, an exhibition drawn from the collection of the Dobrich Art Gallery. This exchange gives valuable parts of both museum collections the opportunity to leave their usual spaces and reach new audiences.

“Ruse Painting School” can be visited at the Dobrich Art Gallery until 31 August 2026.

The “Ruse Painting School” project is implemented by the Ruse Art Gallery with the financial support of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Bulgaria.