Participants – Facilitators and Experts
Galin is active in community work in Bulgaria. Along with his job as a personal assistant, he organizes events for the neighborhood of Veliko Tarnovo and its residents. In 2012 he registered an NGO called VT Events to create a place for cultural and social initiatives, which is called “TAM”. Galin has been its head manager ever since.
TAM has been open for more than four years and now hosts more than 30 events a month, such as debates, theatrical performances, book readings, movie screenings, musical events, etc. TAM strives to bring together people of different origins, nationalities, gender and ages. The program includes events related to contemporary art and culture, sports, education and minority issues, and hosts local artists and groups as well as others from around the world. Ninety percent of the events are free of charge. TAM is self-sustaining and raises money by selling drinks and books. A small but very important part of the budget comes from donations made by local residents. TAM tries to involve a solid number of volunteers.
TAM has become emblematic on the map of the Bulgarian independent scene and collaborates with a large number of artists and organizations locally, nationally and internationally. TAM is a hub for people with different interests and a meeting point for all of them.
About my project
This project focuses on building the capacity of local grassroots and non-formal organizations in the region of Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria. It will enable representatives of such organizations to attend six workshops to strengthen their skills, make them more aware of project cycles and learn e.g. how to create project content, how to build a community and how to communicate with the community.
There is an increasing number of informal groups, grassroots initiatives, NGO organizations and socially-oriented businesses in Veliko Tarnovo and the surrounding region. This great movement of grassroots initiatives needs to be supported. By following the process closely, all these actors have come to the conclusion that people are lacking certain fundamental knowledge. There are practically no local training or educational programs supporting and encouraging engaged people and their initiatives.
There is almost no support from institutions for civil sector development and in a way that is good because it puts people in the situation where it is completely up to them to try to develop new, contemporary ideas in line with current societal needs and to find a way to work together and to share what they have.
The project idea is a series of lectures including workshops with young experts working successfully on the independent scene in Bulgaria and other countries.
There will be one event per month for a period of six months. The series will conclude with a roundtable and a closing party.