Svetlana Kirova

The Collective Foundation is a Bulgarian nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming public spaces into inclusive, vibrant, and sustainable environments through culture, architecture, education, and community engagement. Based in Sofia and operating across Bulgaria and internationally, the Foundation brings together a multidisciplinary team of urban changemakers, cultural managers, curators, and architects. Our Mission We aim to make cities more livable, inclusive, and resilient by empowering local communities to co-create their environment. We believe that culture and art are powerful drivers for social innovation, civic engagement, and urban regeneration. Core Areas of Work Placemaking and Urban Transformation We use participatory design and tactical urbanism to reactivate underused or neglected spaces and turn them into shared cultural environments., Creative Capacity Building We develop hands-on learning formats, mentoring, and co-creation labs that enable young creatives, educators, and professionals to lead local change., Civic Urban Education We design tools and programs that help citizens—especially young people—understand and influence urban development processes and cultural policies., Sustainable Cultural Production We explore sustainable curatorial models and use circular materials and green engagement practices in all of our productions. Flagship Projects (selection) Rivers of Sofia (ongoing) An award-winning annual placemaking festival that reactivates the neglected riverbeds of Sofia through art, architecture, and civic engagement. 🏆 Winner of a Europa Nostra Award (2023), Danube Design Lab A cross-sectoral initiative engaging high school students, architects, and facilitators to co-create visions for public spaces in Ruse on the Danube. 🏆 Winner of the 2023 New European Bauhaus Prize – Category: Education Champions, Concrete to Culture A large-scale intervention transforming the rooftop and adjacent spaces of a business park into a lively cultural hub, showcasing how underused concrete infrastructure can become a platform for art, community life, and sustainable reuse.🏆 Runner-up of the 2024 New European Bauhaus Prize – Category: Regaining a sense of belonging, CAST (Culture trAnSforming communiTies and economies) - ongoing An Interreg Danube project implemented with 14 partners from 11 countries. The Collective is leading the Bulgarian pilot in Sofia’s Lyulin district, co-developing inclusive cultural hubs with local residents in a context of culturally underserved neighbourhood with over 100,000 inhabitants. Our Approach We work at the intersection of grassroots civic action and institutional partnerships, combining deep local activation capacity with EU project management expertise. Our methods are rooted in design justice, participatory governance, and circular cultural practices. We emphasize co-creation, inclusivity, and public value. Our Reach and Network In 2024, over 100,000 people attended our "River of the city" festivals across different cities in Bulgaria., 650,000+ people reached annually through digital and physical channels, Member of regional and European placemaking, architecture, and culture networks