NO EMPTY WORDS
Do we know the power of words?
Do we experience them as remedy, as direction, as energy, as something close to magic.
Words are our second face. Sometimes, they are all we have.
They can divide and destroy, but they can also gather, reconnect, and restore meaning.
They can bring back a sense of peace where chaos has taken over.
Do we choose what to say, and what to withhold?
Do we move towards truth when we speak?
Does it matter what we say to ourselves?
Why has silence disappeared, why does everyone speak?
Are we afraid of not being seen if we remain silent?
For us, at the Old School Art Residency, words have always been a force, and a faithful companion in the act of creating.
We sit with what we want to say. And before speaking, we read, we listen, we think.
Words give form to art, they carry meaning, they help us understand.
But words, as something we shape, are also a form of art.
In 2026, let each artwork be woven together with the words we love —
their shape, their color, the life they carry.
We believe that there is a time and a place that can open a passage,
from which the hidden treasure of words begins to emerge.
In 2026, in Gorna Lipnitsa,
we play with words — and bring them to life.
We weave words as incantation:
“I hold the good in thought, and I give it voice.
I speak with beauty, I speak what is true.
In creating, I let words unfold —
words that bring joy, that shape, that move, that open the heart.
They come when they must, and they remain.”
In the beginning was the Word…
About the residency
The Old School Art Residency has been developing for more than 15 years in the village of Gorna Lipnitsa. It is a place where artists come not only to work, but to spend time differently, more slowly, more attentively, closer to what they are creating. During their stay, artists naturally become part of this rhythm: the silence, the conversations, the everyday encounters.
Gorna Lipnitsa is a small rural community, where different layers of time coexist. You can feel both the past and the present in the same space, and this creates a very particular atmosphere for work.
The studios are located in a former school building, more than a hundred years old. Its classrooms have been transformed into working spaces, but they still carry a sense of history and memory. There is also a space we call the “Room of Secrets”, where objects from the past are kept: teaching materials, photographs, books, and everyday items. Artists are free to explore and use what they find there in their work.
The residency is open to artists working in different fields: visual arts, photography, video, installation, music, performance, and more.
What matters most to us is not the medium, but the process – the way each artist develops their work during their stay. There is time for individual work, but also for shared moments like conversations, walks, informal exchanges.
At the end of each residency period, we organize an open studio or a group exhibition, where the work created during the stay is presented.
Over the years, more than 170 artists from over 35 countries have taken part in the residency, creating a diverse and evolving community.
Note that the residency is shaped with independent artists in mind.
We value self-direction and trust each participant to take responsibility for their time, their work, and their process. What we offer is space and experience, not structure.
Accommodation
Artists stay in guesthouses in the village, within walking distance from the residency. Each artist has their own room, and shares a common space, kitchen and bathroom with the others. The houses also have yards that can be used both for rest and for work.
Life here is simple and close to the surroundings. Just outside the houses, there are open fields, quiet paths for walking, and places where you can sit, work, or simply spend time.
We share meals at the beginning and at the end of each residency period. During the stay, artists can experience food from the village — seasonal fruits and vegetables, homemade preserves, herbs for tea, honey, and traditional drinks.
There are small local shops and a restaurant in the village, where you can also buy freshly prepared meals. The nearest town is about 10 km away.
Each artist can use a bicycle to move around the village and the nearby areas.
What we offer
During your stay, you will have access to the studios of the old school building – indoor workspaces, a photo studio, and open areas for outdoor work and performances.
We organize welcome and closing dinners, as well as occasional trips in the region, including a visit to Veliko Tarnovo.
At the beginning of the residency, we take time to walk through the village together to see its main places and get a sense of the environment: the community center, the church, the chapel, the museums, the central spaces. These places can also become part of your work if you choose.
We also visit the weekly market in Pavlikeni, where you can find fresh local produce, everyday goods, and a small flea market.
We also introduce you to our approach to ritual art, it is a practice we have been developing for more than a decade. Over the years ritual art has been unfolding both as a conceptual framework and as a living artistic process, gradually taking shape through theory and through the works created within the residency.
Basic materials and tools are available for your work, along with technical support such as internet access at certain locations, a printer, and multimedia equipment.
We can support you with translation, provide letters of invitation, and assist if you are applying for additional funding.
At the end of the residency, we share the work developed during the stay — often through an open studio or a group exhibition for the local community.
At the end of their stay, participants receive a certificate of participation.
We will come to pick you up from the town of Pavlikeni and take you to the place of accommodation in the village of Gorna Lipnitsa. From Sofia to Pavlikeni you can travel by train. The ticket costs no more than 10 euro.
We will give you in advance detailed instructions for your trip from Sofia to Gorna Lipnitsa. We are also going to send you a list of places which you can visit, both in the Bulgarian capital as well as other major towns, in case you decided to stay a few days more in Bulgaria.
And the most important thing we offer:
A lot of fun.
Memorable experience.
Untamed ideas.
2026 Residency periods
13 – 27 July
17 – 31 August
7- 21 September
Each residency period brings together a small group of artists — up to 4 participants. The period is confirmed with a minimum of 3 artists.
Terms of application:
Each candidate should send us:
- Completed application form – download here
- Portfolio or photos of artworks
- Please indicate your preferred residency period (July, August, or September), and whether you would be flexible to join another period
Please send us the completed application form along with a portfolio/photos of your artworks to: oldschoolresidence@gmail.com.
For 2026 the theme of our residency is going to be “NO EMPTY WORDS”. You are free to work on it or on another topic if it interests you more.
E-mail for application: oldschoolresidence@gmail.com
Deadline: 2nd of May, 2026
Results announcing: Within 14 days after applying
The Organizers:
We are Darina and Dimitar – artists, founders of The Old School residency, herbalists, runners, yoga addicts, but most of all idealists and seekers. We have been organizing various art events since 2010. As we are currently living in the village, we are going to be personally present at the residency during your stay. We will give you practical tips and advice for everything related to your stay, work, travelling and exploration of the area.
You can read more about us and our ideas:
Questions: Please submit additional questions to: oldschoolresidence@gmail.com
