Programme

54 master artsisans with contribution to the preservation of their craft take part in the Fair. This happens after a special invitation, sent by the organizers and without payment of any fees. 29 foreigners and 25 Bulgarians offer their articles and demonstrate their skills in traditional techniques. The foreign artisans present themselves with wood carving, stone masonry, carpet weaving, pottery, painting of furniture, lace making, felt, traditional embroidery, etc. at the bazaar-exhibition. The Bulgarian craftsmen practise iron smithy, cutlery, coppersmith's trade, cooperage, weaving, icon-painting, wood carving, whittling, packsaddle making, harness -making, shoe making, pottery, stone masonry, confectionery, basket weaving, Kalofer's lace making, knitting works, painted eggs,mummer's masks, antique weapon, bone and beads ornaments.

Location: "Etar" museum
Start: 1^st of September, at 10:00 am
End: 3^rd of September, at 6:00 pm

Artisans from 5 countries (Malta, Roumania, Turkey, Macedonia and Bulgaria) participate in the Craftsman's competition in 2023.

There are two varieties in the jewellery craft - goldsmith's and silversmith's trade and making of jewels from non-precious metals as copper, zinc, lead and "dudiya" – an alloy from zinc and tin. Today, as it was and in the past, there is not a full division between these varieties in the craft.
The craftsman's competition recreates the bets among the artisans, organized in the past in the the Bulgarian Revival Period. The winner receives the big award Silver Cowbell, a monetary prize and a right for a one-man show at "Etar" museum.

Location: Museum centre
Start: 1^st of September, at 10:30 am
End: 3^rd of September, at 3:00 pm

For fourth time in succession a youth section is organized at the Craftsman's competition. In 2023 pupils from specialty "Artistic Processing of Metals" from the National High-School of Applied Arts "St. Luka" in Sofia and students with specialty "Metal" from the National Academy of Arts join the initiative of the museum. The winner receives award "Bronze Cowbell" and the educational institution – a right for a bazaar - exhibition in the next year.

Location: Museum centre
Start: 1^st of September, at 1:30 pm
End: 3^rd of September, at 4:30 pm

2^nd of September

The forum will be in two sections in the hall of Balkan Hotel and in hall of the University.
Moderators: Vania Doneva and Zhustin Toms

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Exhibition hall above the walnut oil workshop, 30^th of August – 31^st of October

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Museum centre, second floor, 1^st – 30^th of September

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Exhibition hall above the walnut oil workshop, 1^st – 25^th of September

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Situated in the Museum centre, the exhibition is with the purpose of popularizing the craftsman's culture through the author's hand of six creative artists who present the modern application of traditional craftsman's techniques.

In this edition the Art Zone meets a famous calligrapher who writes out types by hand with various instruments; the first Bulgarian pipe - maker who has brought in the craft from Czech Republic; a innovative luthier who shows the fine points in making rebecks; a craftswoman of art dolls from natural materials; creator of origami wallets and a master of dry and wet felting.

The initiative upgrades the already established partnership between "Etar" museum and the visual artist and professional photographer Rosina Pencheva and her author's project "Created By Hand". A photographer's diary, documenting Bulgarian artists of rare crafts.

Location: Museum centre
Start: 1^st of September, at 1:30 pm
End: 3^rd of September, at 4:30 pm

Professional and amateur photographers may participate in the competition, without limitation in the age. There is no participation fee. The topic of the competition is the Crafts Fair. All photographs should be taken during the 18^th International Fair of Traditional Crafts(1st -3^rd of September, 2023, "Etar" museum).

Applications for registration in the competition are accepted until 15^th of August, 2023 at e-mail: t.penov@etar.bg. The first 10 applicants to the competition receive accreditation for free access to the museum territory in the period 1^st -3^rd of September, 2023. All the rest, after paying one-off entrance fee for visiting "Etar" museum, also have right for accreditation for access to the museum in the three days of the Fair.

Application form
More information about the requirements to the photos and copyrights, you can read here.