Public Discussion on the Culture Development Strategy of Burgas 2026-2035

A public discussion of the draft Strategy for the Development of Culture of Burgas 2026-2035 brought together citizens, artists, and representatives of the cultural sector to discuss proposals and comments on the document. Deputy Mayor for Culture and Religious Affairs, Diana Savateva, emphasized that currently, Bulgaria does not have an active national strategy for the development of culture, and only a few municipalities have adopted similar documents.

“The Municipality of Burgas is starting the process of adopting such a strategy as a critically necessary process. We trusted a team we have worked with,” she said. According to her, the existence of a strategic document is also important in the context of Burgas's candidacy for the European Capital of Culture in 2032.

“The main goal was to mark things that are applicable – not just those that sound good or are related to strategic documents of UNESCO and the European Union. We hope that the measures taken will have an effect in the next at least ten years,” Savateva pointed out and emphasized that the project is not conservative and provides for the possibility of accountability, supplementation, and updating over time.

The final version will be submitted for consideration to the Municipal Council in Burgas, and the document will be reviewed by all standing committees. The strategy was developed by Lyubomir Kutin, Nevena Dobreva, and Todor Yalmov. Kutin noted that the work on the document lasted more than six months.

“My main goal was for the strategy to be comprehensible and not scattered across different activities, but to encompass the entire wealth of cultural activities,” he said. The draft strategy for Burgas has developed three main directions – horizon (predictability in management), publicity and accessibility, as well as capacity (creative, administrative, and organizational).

“We were looking for reliable mechanisms for sustainability and minimizing the administrative burden,” Kutin added.

The strategy is based on a broader framework in which culture is seen as part of sustainable development in sync with the priorities of the United Nations, the role of culture as a basis for education and peace according to UNESCO, and the EU's policies for inclusion and regional development. The document also takes into account national challenges such as participation in cultural activities, aging of the population and migration of young people, limited public resources, concentration of decisions at the national level, and weak coordination between the state, regional, municipal, and independent sectors. Regarding the local specifics, the document emphasizes that Burgas has an “active and rich cultural life and bright artists, but is facing challenges such as insufficient international transport connectivity and seasonality in the tourism sector, which affects the cultural dynamics”.

By 2035, culture should be established as a strategic public resource for quality of life, social cohesion, and added value for the local economy, the document states. Among the established principles are transparency, quality and professionalism, accessibility and participation, viewing heritage as a living resource, as well as openness and international connectivity.

According to the data in the document, in 2024, the state funding for cultural institutions in Burgas exceeds 14.5 million leva, and the funds from the local budget for culture reach about 8.3 million leva.