Burgas artist Damyan Staykov has created a lion called Leo, a character of his own, and is putting him forward as the official mascot of the Eurovision 2027 song contest.

Images and videos of Leo on social media have drawn more than 150,000 views in a month, in Bulgaria and abroad.

Leo is a smiling, lively lion with a message of freedom and joy in life. Staykov says the character is kind and urges people to be themselves and enjoy life.

The artist took the lion, Bulgaria's age-old symbol, as his starting point. He wants to link tradition and national pride with the sea spirit of Burgas and with the creative freedom people associate with Eurovision.

Staykov believes Leo's success online attracts fans of the contest and shows Burgas in a good light to audiences abroad.

In a special brochure titled The Art of Leo the Lion, he explains the project and the idea behind the drawing in detail.

Author: Nina Neycheva
Source: EraNova, 21/10/2026 16:00