IN HONOREM ACADEMIAE – In Honour of the Academy
Exhibition by anniversary guest artists–professors at foreign academies
13 October – 15 November 2026
Exhibition opening: 13 October 2026, 4:00 pm, Academia Gallery
1 Shipka Street, Sofia
Curated by Assoc. Prof. Vassil Kolev, PhD
The exhibition IN HONOREM ACADEMIAE – In Honour of the Academy is an international curatorial project organised on the occasion of the 130th anniversary of the National Academy of Art, Sofia. The project brings together artists and representatives of art academies and cultural institutions from different countries. By participating, they symbolically greet one of the oldest educational institutions of visual arts in Southeast Europe.
The exhibition is a meeting space for diverse artistic practices, generations and cultural contexts. The presented artworks reflect the dynamics of contemporary art and highlight the role of academies as key centres for creative development, critical thinking and international exchange. The participating artists and institutions join in a common gesture of respect for the history and traditions of the National Academy of Art, thus emphasising the significance of international partnership in contemporary world.
The exhibition is part of the ceremonial programme marking the 130th anniversary of the National Academy of Art, founded as State School of Drawing in 1896.
The Academy's 130th anniversary celebration is held under the patronage of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Bulgaria.
Participants
Bettina Erzgräber, Rector of the Burg Giebichenstein University of Art and Design in Halle, Germany
Franco Bosisio, Rector of the Albertina Academy of Fine Arts in Turin, Italy
Franco Marocco, Professor of Painting and Former Rector of the Brera Academy of Fine Arts in Milan, Italy
Mariana Smith, Associate Professor of Graphics and Visual Arts at Stockton University, New Jersey, USA
Paola Babini, Rector of the Academy of Fine Arts in Ravenna, Italy
Baybora Temel, Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts at Trakya University in Edirne, Turkey
István Erőss, Rector of the Hungarian University of Fine Arts in Budapest, Hungary
Shen Leiping, Professor and Vice Dean of the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou, China
Yang Hongwei, Professor and Vice Dean of the Faculty of Graphics at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing, China
Zheng Jing, Professor at the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou, China
Przemysław Wachowski, Rector of the Władysław Strzeminski Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź, Poland
Błażej Ostoja Lniski, Rector of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, Poland
Media partners
Bulgarian News Agency (BTA)
Bulgarian National Radio (BNR)
Partner
Schwarz Digits Bulgaria
The project is realised within the framework of the 2026 Competition for Funding Projects on the Scientific Research and Artistic Activities at the National Academy of Art.