PETITION in Support of the Establishment of a Center for Experimental Puppetry at the Puppet Theatre – Stara Zagora

State Puppet Theatre – Stara Zagora has always been THE PLACE where imagination becomes reality. The creation of the Center for Experimental Puppetry is a project backed by more than three years of tireless work, international recognition, and tremendous interest from artists across Bulgaria.

This space will be a catalyst not only for puppetry but also for all performing arts, music, dance, visual arts, exhibitions, training, and community gatherings. Its significance goes far beyond the local context and carries weight on a national level.

Following an international architectural competition, with 98 projects submitted from 30 different countries, a concept design was chosen for the new building. The next step is the working design phase, for which a contract has already been signed with the architectural bureau. The planned funding must be secured and the contract implemented no later than January 2026 in order to maintain legal validity. Otherwise, it would mean not only the loss of an architectural project, but also the loss of trust, vision, and achievement.

Culture cannot wait. Not when it has already awakened so many hopes!

With this petition, we – artists, cultural workers, audiences, citizens, and dreamers – express our support for the realization of the Center and call on the Ministry of Culture to provide the necessary funding in a timely manner. We believe that when the state supports culture, it also supports its own face before the world.

👉 Let’s give the future a stage!