A Few Words from Margarita Dimitrova on the Upcoming Edition of the Apollonia Festival
What has your creative journey been like?
Ever since the very first Apollonia Arts Celebrations in Sozopol, my main task—and a great responsibility—has been to ensure that the festival program features the leading names in Bulgarian art, along with their most recent achievements and successes. As you know, Apollonia is unique because it brings together all the arts—literature, music, theatre, visual arts, and cinema. It turns out that when these art forms are united in one place, they offer a full cultural portrait of Bulgaria, which is what has made the festival so popular and beloved for over four decades.
I like to think of my creative path mostly in the present tense. Naturally, it intertwines with the best that has already been created and presented on Apollonia’s theatrical and musical stages, at the wonderful literary evenings, and in the exhibition halls of the Old Town. That gives meaning to each new day—both during the preparations and when the program becomes reality. That’s when I feel truly happy, because I see the results of my work and the efforts of the team beside me.
In my daily life, which is full of responsibilities, it is especially important to meet with talented and strong individuals. They give me hope and strength during the difficult times we all go through. We live in uncertain times and often don’t know what tomorrow will bring. What we continue to do is guided by our belief in showcasing events that will be remembered—and that will leave a mark on Bulgarian culture.
What have you done so far, and how has the Apollonia Foundation helped establish the festival as a wonderful place for creativity and exchange of ideas?
Each new edition of Apollonia starts from scratch. That means hundreds of contacts and communications. For me, it has always been important that the program features the newest—recent theatre productions from the season, the latest books presented by their authors, film premieres introduced by their creators. And of course, a lot of music. Music is special for the festival and for all of us, and the Apollonia Foundation is the producer of the majority of concerts during the event.
Artists from all generations in Bulgaria have taken part in the Sozopol celebrations—some of them travel from across the world, and we are proud to have them as part of the festival.
Months before the start of Apollonia, we start receiving inquiries by email and phone about the artistic program. For ten years now, we’ve had the Book Apollonia segment, which is eagerly anticipated by Bulgarian publishers. We also host public conversations with prominent artists—renowned musicians, actors, directors, poets, writers, and painters—under the title The Price of Success. These are major events for everyone: journalists, festival participants, and ordinary spectators. The Apollonia Foundation also supports many other initiatives that make the festival even more engaging for what we have come to call “the Apollonia audience.”
There is something very special about our festival: the connection between the artists and the audience. In Sozopol, this interaction is constant—everywhere, in the streets, by the sea, and later, on stage.
What do you expect from Apollonia 2025, and what are your ideas and projects for the future?
With every new edition of Apollonia, ideas are born—things we want to realize, goals we want to achieve. The festival is no longer the same; its content is changing. The performers and the audience are different now, but the philosophy of Apollonia remains and proves itself over time. I hope we’ll succeed in making things even more exciting, just as we did years ago when we created in Sozopol the conditions and atmosphere for concerts, performances, readings, and film screenings.
I look forward to the day when, instead of another hotel complex, new cultural spaces will be built—venues for concerts, cinema, and theatre. I look forward to that day, and when it comes—we’ll talk again.
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