Kyustendil hosts National Ivan Lazarov Sculpture Award ceremony

The city of Kyustendil is hosting a celebration of Bulgarian sculpture at the Vladimir Dimitrov – The Master Art Gallery. The event coincides with the Day of the National Awakeners and features the announcement of the new laureate for the National Ivan Lazarov Award for Sculpture.

This year, five artists are nominated for the prestigious distinction: Alyosha Kafeidzhiyski, Angel Stanev, Valentin Starchev, Pavel Koychev, and Stefan Lyutakov. The program also includes independent exhibitions by 2025 National Award winners Assoc. Prof. Georgi Minchev and Prof. Emil Popov.

The award was jointly established by the Union of Bulgarian Artists, the Municipality of Kyustendil, the Vladimir Dimitrov – The Master Art Gallery, and the Ministry of Culture. Originally awarded between 1973 and 1987, the tradition was revived in 2021 to recognize exceptional achievements in Bulgarian plastic arts and support the nation's cultural heritage. The award is named after Academician Ivan Lazarov, a prominent sculptor and three-time rector of the National Academy of Arts.