The mission of BCHCS is to establish, organize, support, and promote events related to traditional and contemporary Bulgarian culture, to preserve Bulgarian heritage in the greater Seattle area; to engage, educate and do outreach to the Bulgarian and the Greater Seattle Community; and collaborate with other organizations to promote Bulgarian culture and heritage.
For the short time since its establishment in 2011, BCHCS has created and continues to support several programs:
- Bulgarian Voices of Seattle Women’s Choir with weekly rehearsals
- “Medena Pitka” [Honey Bread] Children’s Folklore Program (ages 4-8) with weekly lessons
- “Rabotilnitsata” (Dance Workshop) with weekly lessons
- “Tvorilnitsata” (Traditional-Crafts-Making-Workshop) which organizes the making of “kukeri” masks, “survachki”, and “martenitsi” a few times a year
- “Glagolnitsa” Society for Poetry and Literature meeting once a month
BCHCS organizes traditional annual events such as a Christmas celebration, and the picnic at Lake Sammamish to celebrate Bulgarian Culture and Literacy Day in May. The Center organizes concerts, workshops, and visits of local and guest musicians, artists, and writers from the US and Bulgaria.
BCHCS has coordinated and supported a number of exciting and ambitious projects such as “Songs of Our Families Bulgarian Heritage Project,” creation of a documentary film “Tazi Baba / This Baba,” and a visit of a Bulgarian Fulbright Scholar at the University of Washington Department of Slavic Languages and Literature.
In Autumn 2018 renowned Ethnologist and Balkan Dance Specialist, Martin Koenig, requested the Bulgarian Culture and Heritage Center in Seattle assist him with fundraising to complete financing of the Balkan Echoes project, a joint effort between Mr. Koenig and the Smithsonian Institution. As the goal of this project was to make Koenig’s recordings, notes, and photographs of authentic Bulgarian folk music and dance a permanent part of the Smithsonian Collection in Washington, D.C., we were honored to accept.
Beginning in January 2019 BCHCS solicited contributions to Balkan Echoes via Facebook, our Website, and through various printed means. By June BCHCS’ efforts have had raised a very significant portion of the monies needed to properly complete the project.
BCHCS’ work on Balkan Echoes was acknowledged by invitations to the presentation of the project deliverables in Sofia, Bulgaria on September 18, 2019. The presentation included the Grand Opening of the photography exhibition, “Balkan Echoes – Sound Portraits of Bulgaria” at the National Gallery, and an audience with Rumen Radev, President of Bulgaria, at which the Balkan Echoes book was unveiled.
With the rich local cultural history to build on and numerous talented and devoted people to work with, we are confident the Bulgarian Cultural and Heritage Center of Seattle will continue to realize its mission. We are looking to collaborate with anyone who is interested in organizing, promoting and participating in Bulgarian cultural and community programs and events.