PLOVDIV, BULGARIA – The historic city of Plovdiv recently served as a vibrant classroom for the next generation of European cultural managers. From January 11 to 20, 2026, 46 young professionals from nine countries gathered for the intensive School of Culture training course, aimed at equipping youth with the professional tools needed to navigate the evolving creative sector.
The project, coordinated by Center for Projects – Plovdiv (CPP), brought together participants from Bulgaria, Serbia, Italy, Hungary, Romania, Greece, Ukraine, Lithuania and Spain.
A Masterclass in Management
Under the guidance of lead trainer Mag.Phil. Leonie Hodkevich, PhD(c), the program delivered a rigorous curriculum of 10 modules, including European Project Management, Social Justice through Cultural Management, and advanced Audience Development strategies.
Guest speakers included Dr. Chris Baldwin (theatre director and curator) on AI and culture, Viktor Yankov of Plovdiv 2019 on regional cultural policy, and Gina Kafedzhian on urban games as cultural engagement, with additional sessions on cybersecurity and digital marketing.
Beyond the Classroom
The programme balanced theory with practice through site visits, including at the Drama Theatre of Plovdiv, and concluded with a certificate ceremony marking the launch of a new European network of cultural managers.
About the Project
School of Culture is a Youth Exchange (KA152-YOU) funded by the European Union under Erasmus+ and co-financed by Bulgaria's Human Resource Development Centre (HRDC).