Who We Are

Meet the team

RADAR is an independent art hub dedicated to supporting creators that make a difference. Located in the heart of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, we offer a free live/work space, networking and presentation opportunities in a vibrant and inexpensive city, distinctly exotic for those who come from Western Europe, and warmly European for those who originate in the East. We produce performances, host workshops, lectures and discussions, curate exhibitions, and also publish. We have open calls when we can grant scholarships to our residents and sometimes we can also cover the costs of travel. For many of you, Sofia could be the unexpected inspiration you need. The residency period may vary between one and four weeks. We want to lend a helping hand to creators who walk an artistic path off the beaten track. New methods and forms that make the audience truly engage in an important contemporary topic are what we seek to promote. We tend to prefer artists who take note of the world around them, see what is going on, and are able to artistically relate to the troubles and dangers for our societies and for our planet. Artists who have proven record of some resistance to the system in which we live will be most welcome. “Radical” is not a taboo word for RadAr. We seek also to support projects of artists at risk, creators who have been persecuted or censored due to the nature of their work or because of their race, sex, gender, ethnic origin, religion or political views, or just because. Your work will get presented to the local audiences and you will be introduced to artists from your field as we partner with some of the important cultural agents in the city. If you can think of a joint project with local artists, this would be strongly encouraged. We understand that nature of art is not only in constant creation, but also in reflection, rest and the ability to recuperate and the time to hear you inner voice (again). That is why we accept applications also from artists who don’t have a specific project in mind at the time of application, but boast rich and inspiring artistic biographies. We would be glad if Sofia helps you finetune your radar for your next great project. The space is designed mainly for writers, special preference is given to dramaturgy and performing arts. Our approach to dramaturgy and contemporary writing platform is presented here: Drama Pact.

Filmmakers, visual and interdisciplinary artists who don’t need a huge studio for their work can also apply to stay with us. Translators will not be rejected, although our primary focus is not translation. We don’t have deadlines and accept applications on a rolling basis. The usual length of a stay is between one and four weeks and it can be extended under special circumstances. Sofia is most beautiful between April and October, but winter comes with a bustling cultural and night life.

Interested? See: How to apply. and FAQ You live in Sofia and want to help this network grow? Contact us at info@radarsofia.org


Our Team

Alexander Manuiloff

writer, playwright, screenwriter

When he is not at festivals or theatres in Uganda, India, Washington or Berlin, he wants to invite foreign creators to Sofia and make things stir.

Yassen Vassilev

One of the two masterminds behind Drama Pact. He is so packed with drama that sometimes the police themselves stop him to ask where the conflict is.

Member of the team between 2019 and 2022.

Vasilena Radeva

theatre director

The child prodigy who managed to collect a number of theatre awards much bigger than she can actually count to.

Elena Bardarska

actress, singer, leader

Free spirit who dreams big and achieves big. This is the person you go to buy a kilo of inspiration from.

Paulina Micheva

The book monster. The literary agent, the devouring reader who is still deploring the demise of the Library of Alexandria. (Maybe because she is among the few living creatures on Earth who can truly read in Latin and Ancient Greek.)

Milena Stanojević

performer, theatre director

The Serbian connection. Brings in the best performative traditions of Novi Sad and Belgrade into the group, but also a connoiseur of the sensory labyrinth theatre techniques from Latin America (through Enrique Vargas). The first resident at RadAr Sofia when there was still no Radar. Member of the team between 2018 and 2023.

Svetoslav Nikolov

Director of a theatre festival, manager of a cultural space and a gallery. Also a president. He knows how to make even the smallest things grow big. Did we mention he is a president?

Nathan Cooper

The American among us. Formerly, an artistic director of a theatre in Baltimore, he decided to quit job and come to Sofia to marry, act, direct, teach and… build RadAr Sofia. Imagine that!

Slavka Malinova

The financial guru. The one who knows how things are and have to be when it comes to calculations. Her blood doesn’t freeze when you mention words like “tax”, “accounting” or “memorandum of association”.

Radar Trivia

  • Radar Sofia was legally launched on April 23, 2018, the World Book Day. The date is celebrated as St. George's Day in England.
  • April 23 was also the day when Shakespeare and Max Planck were born in 1564 and 1858 respectively. It is also remembered as the day Miguel de Cervantes died. This is, by chance, the date when the first book of Radar's chairman Alexander Manuiloff came out of print in 2004.
  • Radar Sofia's official registration as a not-for-profit organisation came out on May 12, 2018. The registered address is Sofia 1408, Strelbishte, bl.60A.
  • Appropriately, Radar Sofia's website utilizes and showcases the "Sofia Sans" font family, designed in Bulgaria by Botio Nikoltchev and Ani Petrova
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