National Academy of Art and Visionary Foundation implemented first stage of Circle of Knowledge project orientated to aestheticise public environment
2026.01.23
Visionary Foundation, in partnership with the National Academy of Art, successfully implemented the first stage of the long-term project "Circle of Knowledge" on aestheticisation of the public environment. The initiative aims to transform the appearance of Studentski grad (Student Town) in Sofia, establishing it as a centre for education and culture by creating a monumental open-air gallery on the facades of the student dormitories, which in the long term will enrich the artistic and cultural landscape of this capital city region.
In September 2025, the first two murals within the project on on the facade of dormitory building 23 in Studentski grad were officially presented. The project implementation in partnership with the National Academy of Art was presented by Veneta Marinova, a student pursuing the Master's degree programme in Mural Painting. Her project "Between the Pages" was selected after a competition held for the students specialising in Mural Painting, under the leadership of the Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts and lecturer in the Department of Mural Painting, Assoc. Prof. Lyubomil Draganov, PhD. The monumental work by Veneta Marinova, which interprets the beauty of knowledge and the connection between generations through the symbolism of the book and Bulgarian folklore, can be seen at entrance B, on the opposite side of dormitory building 23A, where the mural "Window of Knowledge" by the artist Svetlozar Yankov – Sve was realised.
Through the direct participation of Academy's students, the project creates a bridge between the educational process and professional realisation in the field of monumental art through lectures, information meetings and discussions organised at the National Academy of Art. In the fall of 2026, forthcoming is the implementation of the project's next stage, which will expand the inter-institutional cooperation through participation of students from the University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy (UACEG).
The Circle of Knowledge project stages are supported by Sofia City Municipality – Europe 2025 Programme, in partnership with Visit Sofia (Operational Programme "Tourism"), Sofia Municipality–Region of Studentski grad, University of National and World Economy, 2025 Culture Programme of Sofia City Municipality, and National Academy of Art.
Media partner: Az Cheta platform
Photographs by Boris Urumov
Source: Visionary