Sofia is set to become the focal point of contemporary art in the region from October 2 to 5, 2025, as the second edition of Sofia Art Fair unfolds at Sofia Tech Park. Under this year’s central theme IMAGINE, the fair invites artists, galleries, and visitors to reflect, experiment, and immerse themselves in the new visual languages of our time. This guiding word isn’t just a slogan - it’s a call to rethink the possible: for creators to reimagine the future, for galleries to widen the spectrum of artistic visibility, and for audiences to embrace contemporary art in all its forms.

This year's edition will feature representatives from twelve countries, including France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Hungary, Latvia, Romania, Austria, Georgia, Azerbaijan, the Czech Republic, and Bulgaria. The exhibition will bring together a wide array of artistic approaches, ranging from painting, sculpture, photography and objects to digital and hybrid media. The lineup includes galleries such as Artdepot Gallery and KUNSToffizin.Linz from Austria, Ellen de Bruijne Projects and Dürst Britt & Mayhew from the Netherlands, Karpuchina Gallery and Hidden Gallery from Prague, TOBE Gallery from Hungary, TUR from Latvia, Sandwich Gallery from Romania, Window Project from Georgia, and QGallery from Azerbaijan.

Bulgarian galleries will feature prominently, with participants from Sofia including DOM Concept Space, Atelier 28, DOZA Gallery, Grafikart Gallery, Monev Contemporary, Intro Gallery, PANAINTE, MP-STUDIO, Gallery Bulgary, Little Bird Place Gallery, L.I.N.K. Gallery, Vivacom Art Hall Oborishte 5, and Process – Space Foundation. From outside the capital, Narativa Gallery from Veliko Tarnovo and the Atelietata Collective from Plovdiv will also join. Altogether, this diverse mix underscores Sofia Art Fair’s ambition to serve not just as an exhibition but as a cultural map of contemporary art in Southeast Europe and beyond.

A key component of the fair will be the SAF Talks program, which will bring to Sofia leading voices from the international art world - directors of institutions, curators, cultural lawyers, and specialists. The forum is designed to encourage dialogue, exchange, and new professional connections across the art ecosystem.

Among the most anticipated figures this year are Cristina Kahlo and Agoria. Cristina Kahlo, a Mexican photographer and visual artist, is also the great-niece of Frida Kahlo. Her presence in Sofia is not merely symbolic - it brings a profound artistic legacy rooted in both family heritage and personal exploration. Her work resonates with themes of memory, identity, and emotional intensity, echoing the defiant spirit of her iconic relative.

Meanwhile, Agoria - French artist, DJ, and trailblazer in the digital art scene - will bring a different energy to the program. Known for his immersive, emotionally layered soundscapes and digital installations, he is the first artist to have created a complete visual experience for the Musée d’Orsay and was also featured in the closing ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics. His involvement adds a distinctly futuristic dimension to the fair, where technology and art converge.

Pushing this boundary further, Sofia Art Fair will present a special collaboration with Sofia Tech Park’s Virtual and Augmented Reality Laboratory. In a dedicated zone, visitors will explore an immersive VR/AR exhibition featuring projects selected via open call - an initiative that bridges innovation and creativity in a new, experiential format.

The fair will also cater to diverse audiences through various parallel activities. Curated tours, children’s workshops, and educational panels will offer multiple ways to engage with the art on display. Entry for visitors under 18 and for people in disadvantaged situations will be entirely free, in a continued effort to make culture more accessible.

Early bird tickets are available at discounted rates until July 17, 2025, inviting art lovers to secure their place ahead of what promises to be a standout event in Bulgaria’s cultural calendar.

Sofia Art Fair 2025 is organized by the Sofia Breathes Foundation, under the patronage of Sofia’s Mayor, Vasil Terziev, and is part of the official Cultural Calendar of Sofia Municipality. Strategic support comes from the Bulgarian-American Credit Bank, which backs the fair as part of its broader commitment to sustainable development and transformative cultural initiatives.

Among the event's major partners are Art and Culture Today, The Locals advertising agency, Lachezar Tsotsorkov Foundation, and Sofia Tech Park. Institutional support is provided by the Sofia Municipality, the French and Spanish embassies, the French Institute in Bulgaria, the Dutch Embassy, the Liszt Institute – Hungarian Cultural Center in Sofia, the Austrian Cultural Forum, and the Cervantes Institute – Sofia.

With IMAGINE as its guiding theme, Sofia Art Fair 2025 invites the public to reimagine the role of art - turning the future into a shared space of creativity and dialogue.