Plovdiv hosts major art exhibitions and photography festival

Plovdiv is hosting significant cultural events throughout late 2026. The Kapana Gallery will extend its major exhibition, ‘Art and Discussion: The Regional Art Exhibition in Plovdiv since 1958’, through September 30, 2026. Curated by Krasimir Linkov and Milena Kitipova, the exhibition explores the tension between creative freedom and state control in socialist Bulgaria, featuring works from various national and regional museums.

Additionally, the International Photography Meetings festival is set to return to Plovdiv from October 16 to 18, 2026, with exhibitions remaining open until October 31. The event marks a leadership transition as veteran Nikola Lautliev hands over organizational duties to the ‘New Photographic Environment Foundation’, though he will remain part of the curatorial team alongside Mariana Dafova and Mina Kamburova. The festival will feature international and Bulgarian photographers, including Bedros Azinyan and Mariam Firouzi.