Martina Stefanova | KvARTal Sofia Art District: The Rise of a Community
• – • Central Market Hall of Sofia
About the speaker
Martina Stefanova is a cultural manager, entrepreneur, producer and journalist in the field of culture, art, urban development, policies and international cultural relations. Co-founder and Executive Director of DOMA Art Foundation. Winner of the Forbes Bulgaria award in the field of "Culture, Art and Media", in the "30 under 30". Additionally, she has been recognized with the Capital NEXT Generation Award for young business leaders. Member of the Board of Directors of AICA Bulgaria (International Association of Art Critics) under the patronage of UNESCO and is a member of the Union of Journalists in Bulgaria.
After completing her Master’s degree in Moscow and South Korea, she returned to Bulgaria, where she has collaborated with leading companies such as Microsoft, Cisco, Google, and Societe Generale. With over a decade of experience, she has worked on projects with the Ministry of Culture, the State Cultural Institute under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Gallery, Sofia Municipality, Sofia City Art Gallery, embassies, international cultural centers, and the independent cultural sector both locally and internationally.
Martina has participated in prestigious programs, including ViabilityNet, a European Union program focused on local leadership training in Romania, Serbia, Hungary, and Slovakia. She was also a resident at CEC ArtsLink’s Back Apartment Residency in St. Petersburg, researching the impact of contemporary cultural processes on state institutions, museums, private initiatives, and independent organizations.
As the Founder of the "New Creative Academy", she established an independent platform for arts, cultural management, and interdisciplinary education. She is also the Manager of the "NEXT Balkan" project, that creates a dialogue between the young cultural sphere of the Balkans, led multiple editions of DOMA Art Fest, engaging with artistic communities in Asia and Scandinavia.
Martina is a key figure behind KvARTal Art District in central Sofia and the annual KvARTal Festival, held on Sofia Day. This initiative revitalizes the historic center, transforming it into an artistic and craft quarter while advocating for the preservation of cultural heritage and the expansion of pedestrian-friendly urban spaces.
Her work is widely recognized, with numerous publications in print and online media, as well as frequent radio and television appearances.
Local partners
Additional details
Overview of Martina’s talk:
KvARTal Sofia Art District: The Rise of a Community
The historic heart of any city is a vibrant cultural attraction. Whether in Prague, Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, or even Plovdiv, visitors are naturally drawn to the charm of the old town. In Sofia, this spirit is being revived through the KvARTal Festival—an emblematic event that has transformed a once-forgotten historical area into a thriving cultural destination. Held in the city’s historic center it has become one of Sofia’s most recognized and anticipated events.
By fostering creativity, supporting the arts, and revitalizing the urban landscape, the initiative has helped shape a dynamic Sofia Art District, continuously driving the creative economy forward.
The project KvARTal Art District remains dedicated to preserving and promoting Sofia’s cultural and historical heritage, attracting a diverse audience from across the country. Nestled among cobblestone streets and heritage buildings, visitors can experience:
• Pedestrian Streets – free pedestrian zones of cars for citizens • Map of venues for food and drinks, art galleries, crafts spaces • Workshops led by local and international artists, architects, else • Live music, theater, and street performances • Open-call for young artists • Interactive children’s programs • Urban interventions and street art • Historical and architectural tours showcasing old Sofia
Through its immersive programming, supporting the small business and independent spaces, KvARTal Art District breaths new spirit of old Sofia, reviving it’s historical value into a contemporary hub of art, culture, and community.
Location
Hosted at
Central Market Hall of Sofia
Central Sofia Market Hall, Sofia Center, Knyagina Maria Luisa Blvd 25, ниво -1, 1000 Sofia
Sofia, Bulgaria 1000
When
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