Between Christmas and New Year

Dear friends of arts,

We have the pleasure to invite you to take part in the INTERNATIONAL CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL OF ARTS - 2010 in the city of Sofia from 27 to 29 December 2010.

The Festival will be held in Sofia for a sixth year. Every year there are many participants from Bulgaria and foreign countries.
In this event can take part folklore, classical and modern dancing and vocal ensembles and groups, soloists and instrumentalists from all over the world.
The participants are supposed to arrive in Sofia on 26.12.2010 till 14.00 h. On 27th and 28th December 2010 there are performances in Hall 11 of the National palace of culture, Sofia. The departure of the groups will be on 29th December 2010 after breakfast.

Purposes of our art events are to:
- present the folklore wealth and traditions of the whole world;
- show private achievements in different fields of arts;
- popularize Bulgarian arts and traditions;
- establish a cultural exchange between institutions and collectives from the country and abroad.

The organizers are: Bulgarian Art and Folklore Centre “Nestia”- Sofia, Balkan alliance of folklore, Bulgarian Folklore Cooperation “Nestia”, Producer’s house “Kukeri”, Association “Evterpani”, and with the support of Ministry of Science and Education, Ministry of Culture, Municipality of Sofia.

CONDITIONS FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE FESTIVAL:

1. Each group/participant has to be up to 50 persons (including group leaders, choreographers, orchestra, drivers etc.).
2. The groups/participants should prepare 10 and 20 minutes programs accompanied by play-back CD or a live orchestra.
3. The organization committee will accommodate the participants1 in the city of Sofia (sleeping, 3 meals a day, medical service). The participants should inform if there is any special diet or food requirements (vegetarians). All participants should have medical insurance.
4. The travel costs to and from Sofia should be covered by the participants.
The organization Committee will grant a fuel to each group, which comes with its own bus, for the distance from the hotel to the places of performance.
For the groups which come by plane, the bus will be reserved and covered by the Festival’s Committee. In case the participants want to go to excursions out of Festival’s city, should pay 90 euro for bus transportation per day.
5. The participants have to send application form for participation, pictures and other advertising materials by mail. All applications should be received not later then 40 days before the festival starts, by fax or e-mail.
6.Each participant should pay:

Hotel (** or ***) 65 Euro per person for all period
Students’ dormitory / Hostel 54 Euro per person for all period

* For each 20 persons, one is free.
* 30% of the participation fee has to be prepaid not later than 30 days before the event starts.
* The other 70% should be paid when the participants arrive.
* Payment after the above mentioned date will not be accepted.
* Exceptions from the above mentioned conditions are possible only after a decision of the Festival’s Organization Committee.
7. Each group should bring its national flag.
8. All participants can bring souvenirs and/or СDs.

EXTRA DAYS:

1. Each participant can stay extra days in Sofia or come before the date, fixed by organization Committee as “date of arriving”. The organization committee will accommodate the participants in the city of Sofia.
2. During the extra days, the groups which come by plane should pay 90 euro per day for bus transportation.
3. Each group should pay:

Hotel (** or ***) 21 Euro per person for each extra day
Students’ dormitory / Hostel 18 Euro per person for each extra day

If you are interesting to take part in this folklore event, we’ll send you an Application form for participation, detailed information and program for the festival.