Sozopol Transforms into Bulgaria’s Cultural Heartbeat with Apollonia Arts Festival 2025

Sozopol is once again set to become Bulgaria’s summer cultural hub as the Apollonia Arts Festival returns this year from August 28 to September 6. The event promises a vibrant lineup of music, theater, literature, cinema, and fine arts, showcasing some of the most renowned Bulgarian talents across various creative fields. The full program is available on the official festival website, and tickets are already available through the Eventim network.

Margarita Dimitrova, Executive Director of the Apollonia Foundation, described the festival as more than just an event - it’s a living pathway to the heart of Bulgarian culture. She emphasized the festival’s longstanding role in uniting artists and audiences, sustaining the artistic spirit of Sozopol and Bulgaria for over forty years.

The official opening night on August 29 will feature a concert by the Big Band of the National Academy of Music “Prof. Pancho Vladigerov,” with soloists Hilda Kazasyan and Vasil Petrov, conducted by Mihail Yosifov. The festival’s musical program includes performances by Albena Danailova, Lyudmil Angelov, Gabriela Georgieva, Gergana Rusekova, Lora Markova, and many others. For the second consecutive year, the Apollonia Amphitheater will host The Concertmasters of Apollonia, an ensemble comprising leading Bulgarian concertmasters from prestigious orchestras worldwide, including Svetlin Rusev, Valya Dervenska, Liya Petrova, Nikolay Minchev, and others.

A highlight this year is the first-ever master class led by the acclaimed violinist Svetlin Rusev, running from August 30 to September 3, offering training to promising young violinists culminating in a concert during the festival. Additionally, the Supergroup Foundation will hold its inaugural master class for emerging pop and rock singers between September 3 and 6, with participants performing at the festival’s closing Supergroup concert.

The festival’s art exhibitions are notably diverse. The City Art Gallery will host a segment of the Sofia Art Gallery’s “Europe in Bulgaria” exhibition, showcasing European influences in Bulgarian art from the Liberation through the mid-20th century. Visitors can also view selected works from the 11th International Triennial of the Stage Poster and an exhibition featuring diploma projects from the National Academy of Arts students. The Triennial and the Change the Picture campaign will present the international exhibition “We Are Earth.”

The literary segment opens with Vladimir Zarev’s latest book, “I Got Down Too,” and will feature readings and discussions with acclaimed Bulgarian authors such as Georgi Gospodinov, Nikola Petrov, Momchil Milanov, Yoanna Elmi, and Radoslav Bimbalov, among others.

For cinema enthusiasts, Apollonia will screen a selection of recent Bulgarian feature and documentary films, including “Vasko and the Violin” by Lora Krumova and Maria Yotova, “Without Wings” directed by Niki Iliev, debut filmmaker Dimitar Stoyanovich’s “Flesh,” and the award-winning “Triumph” by Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov.

The theater program features contemporary productions from the Small City Theater “Behind the Canal,” Theater 199, the Plovdiv Drama Theater, the Nikolay Binev Youth Theater, and other prominent troupes, adding a vibrant stage presence to the festival.

Apollonia 2025 is supported by major Bulgarian media outlets, including Bulgarian National Television and Radio, Nova Broadcasting Group, Dir.bg, and others, reflecting its national cultural significance.

About Apollonia:
The Apollonia Arts Festival, established in 1991 by the Apollonia Foundation, is Bulgaria’s longest-running and most comprehensive art festival. Since its inception in 1984, it has consistently attracted a wide array of artists and art lovers from Bulgaria and beyond. The festival aims to preserve cultural heritage while promoting emerging talents across all artistic disciplines.

For more detailed information about the Apollonia 2025 program, visit: www.apollonia.bg.