Help with cleaning a former farm building and creating an artist residence in Dabene, Bulgaria

Details

• 

  Description

  My name is Penka and I am an artist, curator and director of the Municipal Gallery in my hometown. After traveling and living in Sweden and Germany, in 2019 I decided to move back to my village Dabene in Bulgaria and settle into my grandparent’s house.
  My activities in the village began with creating jumping paths in the park for the kids and a traveling project where I’ve visited several villages in the neighborhood and held workshops for the kids. I organized several exhibitions on my balcony (so it is accessible to everyone) and started giving art lessons in my living room. The latest project was Artist residence, where 4 artists were staying one month each (in the living room) and have developed single project related to the village.
  My goal is to attract the interest for the locals into contemporary art and to the artists into the village culture and society.
  
  Since 2021 I am organizing an annual international art festival in the village which is held at the stadium of the village, where artists are accommodated on camping basis, due to lack of place for accommodation. This way of being gave the festival unique spirit and became attractive for the way it happens.
  
  Back in 2012 I began working on a project for Artist residence, which was supposed to be financed by European funds, but didn’t succeed due to financial reasons. Now my option is with modest budget to renovate and make the first floor of the house able for hosting artists/guests and to transform the former farming buildings into Artist Studios and receive artists to stay and work on their projects in the village.
  I came to think about Workaway as an option for exchanging ideas, knowledge, experience and passion about doing things for the others. Me on my side, I am also interested to travel and to be Workawayer in need of someone the way I can be useful.

• 

  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Art Projects

  Language practice

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance

  Help with Computers/ Internet
• 

  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  From your stay in my village, you can learn a lot about the culture in this region by meeting locals and visiting historical places. You can also visit mineral sources in the neighborhood, climb the mountain or ride a bike. I can tech you drawing and painting, sculpture as well. If you want to learn Bulgarian language – there we go!

• 

  Help

  I am looking for Workawayers, who would be pleased to experience the life in a Bulgarian village. Since there is a lot to do in the yard, I will be most thankful to people, who can help me to empty the former farming building and to prepare them for renovation. To clean the yard from branches and nasty plants, to make space.

• 

  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  German: Beginner
  Russian: Beginner
  Swedish: Beginner

  This host offers a language exchange
  All three languages mentioned except English I once have started learning and never completed. I would like to improve my knowledge in these languages and perhaps learn another new language :-) I can teach you Bulgarian language!
• 

  Accommodation

  As it was for my Artists in residence – I have a living room with foldable sofa and a woodfire stove for the winter. We share the bathroom and kitchen. I have two balconies – one facing the street and the other the yard. I have one dog – a Labrador, and she is very friendly. Grocery store is in 3 min. walk from the house. I am a non-smoker, but I do not mind smokers as far as they smoke outdoors :-)
  
  Cooking together :-)

• 

  What else ...

  My village Dabene is in the Rose Vallery and it is located 6 km away from the town Karlovo. You can go Karlovo by train or bus, by bike too. In the town you can find any store you need, but maybe not everything, as it is in the countryside. Banya and Haisar are near towns providing mineral baths and spa. Plovdiv is 50 km away and it was Capital of Culture in 2019. This city is rich with history and archaeological artefacts. It is one hour drive and you can go by train also from my village. Sofia is 150 km far, Burgas (on the Black Sea) is 250 far from Karlovo, both reachable by train from Karlovo. Stara Planina mountain has several huts in a walking distance suitable for a day trip. The village is near Srtyama River and there are two hill around nice for a short walk with the dog.

• 

  A little more information

  • 

    Internet access

  • 

    Limited internet access

  • 

    We have pets

  • 

    We are smokers

  • 

    Can host families

• 

  Can possibly accept pets

  I have a Labrador, who loves in the garden. She is mostly friendly with other dogs.

• 

  How many Workawayers can stay?

  One

• 

  Hours expected

  Maximum 4 hours a day, 5 days a week