Programme: Recovery and Resilience Plan

The project “The Traditional Bulgarian Costume – Exploring Through Paintings, Lectures, and Workshops” presents a unique art exhibition composed of 25 paintings created using the wax batik technique, depicting women dressed in traditional costumes from various regions of Bulgaria. Over the years, these paintings have been exhibited in the cities of Sliven, Lom, Balchik and Zheravna. The artworks reveal the richness, color, and symbolism of the Bulgarian female attire, with a particular focus on the ‘Bozhigrobska’ apron – a distinctive element of the costume in the Kotel region. The exhibitions will take place in two small settlements in the Southeastern region – Kotel and Nova Zagora – where access to such cultural events is limited. Accompanying lectures and workshops will introduce audiences to the history and specifics of the featured costumes, while primary school students will have the opportunity to take part in the practical creation of a Bozhigrobska apron and headscarf using the traditional ‘Revival stamp’ technique. By combining tradition with modern visual and digital presentation methods, the project aims to preserve and promote tangible cultural heritage, stimulate interest in it, and make it accessible to a wide range of audiences, including socially vulnerable groups.
The project "The Traditional Costume of the Bulgarian Woman - Getting to Know Her through Paintings, Lectures and Workshops" is based on the long-standing creative, research and exhibition activity of the artist Dora Kurshumova. The author combines in-depth field research, work with archival sources, ethnographic interviews and personal observations to authentically and artistically recreate the richness of the Bulgarian women's costume.