AY2025/2026 at the National Academy of Art started
2025.09.26
The National Academy of Art officially opened the 129th academic year on 25 September 2025 in the courtyard of the Faculty of Applied Arts and Design at 73 Tsarigradsko shosse Blvd, in the presence of the Academy's management body, represented by the Rector Prof. Georgi Iankov, the Vice-Rectors Prof. Dr. Zdravka Vasileva and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Stefan Belishki, the Deans of the Faculty of Fine Arts and the Faculty of Applied Arts and Design Assoc. Prof. Dr. Regina Dalkalacheva and Prof. Dr. Arsen Minkov, the Deputy Dean of the FAA Assoc. Prof. Dr. Lyubomil Draganov, the Director of the National Academy of Art – Burgas Branch Prof. Svetozar Benchev, representatives of the Student Council Irina Slavova (chair), Niya Petrova (deputy chair) and Esther Brezhinskaya (member), lecturers, employees and students at the Academy.
Among the officials at the ceremony were the Vice President of the Republic of Bulgaria, Ms Iliyana Yotova, the Deputy Mayor of Sofia Municipality, Ms Blagorodna Zdravkova, Ms Nadya Mladenova, Chief of Staff of the Vice President, Mr Krasimir Dachev, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the National Academy of Art, the Rectors of Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski", Prof. Dr. Georgi Valchev, of the National Academy of Music "Prof. Pancho Vladigerov", Prof. Sava Dimitrov, of the National Academy For Theatre and Films Arts "Krustyo Sarafov" Corresponding Member Prof. Dr. Miroslav Dachev, Mr Traycho Traykov, Mayor of Sredets" District, Mr Petko Goranov, Mayor of the Studentski District, representatives of state and cultural institutions, and many guests.
The Rector of the National Academy of Art, Prof. Georgi Iankov, welcomed the 290 newly enrolled students at the Academy.
The Deputy Mayor, Ms Blagorodna Zdravkova, congratulated the academic community and expressed her joy at the successful and fruitful cooperation between the Sofia Municipality and the three national academies of arts within the framework of the Memorandum concluded earlier this year, marking the success of this year’s celebration of Sofia City Day, 17 September, with a number of cultural and artistic events.
In her congratulatory speech, the Vice President of Bulgaria, Ms Iliyana Yotova, defined the National Academy of Art as a spiritual temple and guardian of Bulgarian culture, spirit and identity.
The Rector of the National Academy of Art, Prof. Georgi Iankov, welcomed the 290 newly enrolled students at the Academy.
A festive blessing of holy water was performed by Father Arseniy Kanyov, a priest at the Church of the Holy Apostles Petar and Pavel.
Congratulatory addresses were received from: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Natalia Kiselova, Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria, Mr Marian Bachev, Minister of Culture, Ms Yordanka Fandakova, Chair of the Foreign Policy Committee at the National Assembly, Mr Dimitar Nikolov, Mayor of Burgas Municipality, the Rectors of the National Academy of Theater and Film Arts “Krustyo Sarafov”, the National Sports Academy, the Technical University – Sofia, the University of National and World Economy, the Higher School of Civil Engineering “Lyuben Karavelov”, the Chairman of the National Representation of Student Councils, and Prof. Dr. Engr. Tsolo Vutov, Manager of GEOTECHMIN and member of the Board of Trustees of the National Academy of Art.
The most anticipated moment of the opening ceremony of the 2025/2026 academic year was the ceremonial presentation of student books to first-year students in Bachelor's degree programmes by the Deans of the two faculties of the National Academy of Art – Assoc. Prof. Dr. Regina Dalkalacheva and Prof. Dr. Arsen Minkov.
After the ceremony, the official guests toured the building of the Faculty of Applied Arts and Design and were acquainted with the work process in the Restoration studios, led by the Vice-Rector and teacher in the Department of Restoration, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Stefan Belishki.
Good luck, dear students and colleagues!
Gallery
