It is a great honour, joy and source of pride for us to receive the Sofia Municipality Jury Award for Outstanding Achievements in Culture for the organisation of the 2026 European Design Festival. This is an important recognition for us after more than ten years of work as cultural managers and curators in the field of design.
Our efforts have always been focused on promoting and establishing design as a significant part of contemporary culture in all its diversity — from graphic design and illustration, through product and social design, to interactive design and craft. We see this award as a sign that this work is visible and that it contributes to the cultural life of Sofia.
The award was presented to us last night, on the eve of Sofia Day, at an official ceremony at the National Gallery, where Sofia Municipality announced its annual awards for outstanding achievements in culture. Studio Komplekt was also among the nominees in the Visual and Plastic Arts category for the realisation of the 2026 European Design Festival.
We have the privilege of working with one of the most democratic disciplines of visual culture — one that is an immediate part of our everyday lives and has the power to make them more meaningful, functional and beautiful. This is why, over the years, we have created platforms for encounters, dialogue, knowledge and visibility: the international Melba Festival of Design, the regular Melba Meetings with Bulgarian designers, our online design archive, the Komplekt for Design podcast, and many other initiatives.
In recent years, we have witnessed a real change. Design is increasingly and confidently taking its place as an equal part of the contemporary cultural scene and becoming an important subject of public conversation. It is particularly meaningful for us to see these long-term efforts recognised at an institutional level through this nomination and award.
Without a doubt, the culmination of our work in 2026 was Sofia hosting the 20th edition of the European Design Awards & Festival. Following an international bidding process, we were given the opportunity to produce an event that brought professionals from across Europe to Sofia and offered a rich programme both for the international design community and for the people of the city.
The Jury Award is especially valuable to us because it recognises not only a particular event, but the effort behind it — our ongoing work to create cultural content, build communities and open Sofia up to the international design context.
Another exceptional source of encouragement for us has been the feedback on the event from the creators of the awards, the participants and the visitors. This builds on our international professional development and is a testament to the positive direction in which the local design scene is evolving.
Our professional dedication has never been possible through our efforts alone. Behind every initiative stand partners, institutions, colleagues, friends and fellow travellers. We saw many of them in the room last night. We sincerely hope — and wish — that they will continue to help build the fabric of this important cultural ecosystem in our capital.
We would like to extend a special thank you to Sofia Municipality and its Culture Programme, to the team of the Municipal Enterprise Tourism, who supported us both in our bid and in the realisation of the European Design Awards & Festival, to the Mayor of Sofia Vasil Terziev, and to Irina Dakova, Deputy Mayor of Sofia Municipality for Culture and Tourism, who stood by us throughout the European Design Awards. Their presence gave us an additional sense of confidence and support. And, of course, our heartfelt thanks go to all the other national and international partners, organisations and people who contributed to this large-scale endeavour.
Thank you to the jury for this recognition. For us, it is a sign that the direction we have chosen matters, and that design has an important place in the cultural life of Sofia. Thank you, Sofia, for your trust and for giving us the opportunity, for more than ten years, to do what we love and what we believe truly matters.
All photographs are by Maria Subotinova