EMBROIDERYFEST. THE TRADITION MEETS THE FUTURE

WHEN FROM 03.06.2022 TO 04.06.2022
ENTRANCE: Free
WHERE YADROTO OPEN STAGE

The EmbroideryFest. The tradition meets the future project of the National Chitalishte "Aleko Konstantinov-1954", Plovdiv presents the authentic Bulgarian embroidery and its contemporary interpretations.

On 3 and 4 June 2022. Tradition Meets the Future will host the first ever Sewing Festival "EmbroideryFest". The event is part of the "Heritage II" programme of the "Creative Plovdiv" strand of Plovdiv - European Capital of Culture and is supported by the Plovdiv 2019 Foundation. The project EmbroideryFest. Tradition Meets the Future of the Aleko Konstantinov-1954 National Community Centre, Plovdiv presents the authentic Bulgarian embroidery and its contemporary interpretations.

The two-day festival shows, in an attractive way, the traditions and heritage of and in Bulgaria and aims to introduce and pass them on to the younger generation. The Embroidery Festival is an innovative event for the cultural life of Plovdiv and the country. The project activities create an opportunity to awaken interest in our cultural heritage, provide access to it and create interesting cultural products.

The festival is aimed at attracting new audiences, with an emphasis on young people and children, Plovdiv residents and tourists, provoked by the rich festival program and the beauty of Bulgarian embroidery, amateurs, artists engaged in crafts.

The diverse activities of the project represent the link "tradition-future" and aim to encourage the creative abilities of individuals through continuity in the field of artistic crafts and include:
- workshop and training
- an exhibition of embroideries of the ethnic groups living in Plovdiv for centuries: Bulgarians, Armenians, Turks, Jews...
- Bulgarian embroidery workshops
- meeting with ethnographers and book presentations
- costume fashion show
- multimedia presentation and concert with folk music, dances and ethno-rhythms. The presentation will feature old, unique photos of costumes from the early 20th century. The photos are from personal albums of families from Plovdiv and the South region - with the assistance of the community centers of the district and the region. Their collection will be done with the assistance of citizens, students and lecturers from the specialty "Ethnology" at PU.

Activities for the youngest visitors are also planned.

The activities are led by members of the National Embroidery and Ornamentation Collective at the community centre, who are also master star-makers from the Association of Masters of Folk Arts and Crafts (ZMNHZ), and here is the programme of the project: 

On the 3rd of June at 6 pm the exhibition "The Sewing of the Ethnicities in Plovdiv" will be opened in the Aleko Gallery of the Chitalishte /Bul. "September Sixth" №160/. The exhibition presents national costumes, vestments and antiques of the ethnic groups that have lived in the city of Plovdiv for centuries - Bulgarians, Armenians, Jews and Turks. The exhibition includes national costumes, embroideries and fabrics from private collections and contemporary household items and garments made by the embroiderers of the Rositsa Chukanova-1968 Embroidery and Handicrafts Collective at the community centre - tishlaifers, panels, plaids, kennets, scarves, book covers, jewellery, contemporary garments, in the making of which authentic embroidery ornaments were used. The collections of Katya Cherpokova and Elitsa Milanova include unique Bulgarian costumes. Antique Muslim costumes are also from the collection of Katya Cherpokova. The Jewish ethnicity is represented by festive and religious items provided by the Shalom Union. Included in the exhibition are antique Armenian scales, laces, kene. The exhibition can be viewed until 18.06.2022.

The second day of the festival - June 4, will offer Plovdiv residents and guests a variety of entertainment in which they can participate themselves. The outdoor stage "The Core" in the Kapana district will be transformed into a creative studio. During the festival, visitors will be able to see and enjoy a variety of activities - exhibitions, embroidery workshops, screenings, meeting with ethnographers, a costume show, and of course, a concert with authentic folk music and dance. There are also activities for the youngest visitors.

On 4 June at 12 noon is the official opening of the festival and a concert of the folklore ensemble "Thrace".

From 12.30 to 18.00 "Embroidery workshops" for adults and children. They are open to all who wish to learn to embroider - children, their parents. In the workshops for adults, the embroiderers - masters from the Embroidery and Crafts Collective "R. Chukanova-1968" at the community center will demonstrate their skills in embroidery making and will show and teach those who wish in the intricacies of the craft. Every visitor can provoke their skills under the guidance of Violeta Chalakova, Dobrina Stefanova - members of the Association of Masters of Folk Arts Crafts, Anna Draganova, Maria Angelova, Veselina Kumcheva and others. The embroiderers will demonstrate the making of the embroidery. In the Workshops for Children, the kids will color embroidery schemes, draw cards, make bracelets, arrange embroidery puzzles and other games and activities.

From 13.00 to 14.00 visitors will enjoy a review of authentic national costumes from the ethnographic regions of Bulgaria. The parade will present 14 authentic folk costumes made more than a century ago, which were provided by private collectors: Katya Cherpokova, Elitsa Milanova and the fund of the community center. We invite everyone who has a national costume to join the event and become part of the unique fashion show.

From 14.00 to 15.00 - presentation of "Memory for Tomorrow" - a multimedia presentation of old, unique photos with costumes from the early 20th century. The photos are from personal albums of families from Plovdiv and the South. It will be projected on the facade of 8 Zagreb Street.

From 15.00 to 15.30 - an exhibition of objects of the participants in the workshops for traditional embroidery ornaments, which took place in April and May this year. on the project. The exhibited objects, sketches, models are the result of the joint work of students from TO "Anna May" and others. schools and embroideries, which through non-formal learning have helped young people to acquire knowledge, skills and dexterity for embroiderers. Visitors will see items applied with original embroideries - book covers, jewelry, etc., made by Slavena Shumarova and Stefka Nikolova.

From 15.30 to 16.30 - Mariana Kilimperova, associate of the Ethnographic Collection of Saedinenie will present the custom "Wedding" and unique bridal costumes from 1903, and Stefka Ilieva will present the books "Archaic symbols in embroidery" and "Bulgaria in embroidery" “By Iren Velichkova-Yamami - weaver, ethnographer and writer. In 2019, she embroidered a unique map of Bulgaria with embroideries from different parts of the country. Iren Velichkova-Yamami was born in Sofia, but has lived in Japan for almost 30 years. Over the years, embroidery has taken her to different parts of the world. Her works have participated in exhibitions in Japan, France, Italy, England, Australia, USA. In a video film, she talks about the map of Bulgaria she made and about her work as an ethnographer and weaver.

From 16.30 to 17.30 - "Embroidery - paths to the soul of Bulgaria" - meeting with Tonya Borisova - actress and writer.

From 5.30 pm to 6 pm - Musical performances: Nikolay Biserov - bagpipe and folklore studio "Puldin" at the Community Center "Antim I", Plovdiv

6 pm - "Krishna se horo zavilo". The dance will include participants and guests of the festival, tourists, Plovdiv and foreigners and will tour the "Trap".

Closing of the festival.

In the festival program will sound and see performances of: FA "Trakia", Children's Dance Ensemble "Crazy Young" at the Community Center "Prof. Kiril Dzhenev ", studio" Puldin "at the Community Center" Antim I ", Plovdiv Formation of authentic folklore" Puppets ", Nikolay Biserov - bagpipe and ensemble for contemporary ethnomusic and ethno rhythms" Bulgarians ".

A photo contest of the ShevitsaFest festival will be announced on Facebook on June 3. Those interested must send a photo that captures moments from the festival. The photos must be received by June 10 by email [email protected] or on the Facebook page of the Chitalishte https://www.facebook.com/chitalishte.alekokonstantinov. The evaluation will be based on the number of likes on Facebook of the community center. The photo that received the most likes will be awarded.

And a challenge to the audience - we urge visitors to wear clothes that have elements of Bulgarian embroidery - T-shirts, scarves, etc. to feel more Bulgarian.

The project is an idea of ​​the National Chitalishte "Aleko Konstantinov-1954", Plovdiv and is part of the LEGACY programme of Plovdiv - European Capital of Culture.