“The Artistic Life in Sliven 1905-2005” bibliography was published

 Several significant anniversaries of cultural institutions were celebrated in 2005 in Sliven. 100 anniversary of the establishment of the Arts Museum in Sliven was celebrated in the end of May in Sliven. The bibliographers from “Sava Dobroplodni” Regional Library made a symbolic gift to their colleagues from the Arts Museum publishing the  “The Artistic Life in Sliven 1905-2005” bibliography.The bibliography is unique for its content and it is the only one full edition on that topic. It covers the period from 1910 / since when the first publication on the topic dates / to April 2005 inclusive and presents 826 bibliographical descriptions of books, treatises, albums, bibliographical issues, brochures, catalogues and articles in periodicals.   

There is a short history of the cultural life in Sliven for the given period and about the establishment of the Art Gallery in the town at the beginning of the bibliography.

The information, included in the bibliography, was found in main bibliographical sources, subject bibliographical indexes, files of local literature and press of “Sava Dobroplodni” Regional Library – Sliven, publications of “Dimitar Dobrovich” Art Gallery, reference books etc. Research work was done, because of the lack of analytically worked up periodicals for the period until 1944. Local press and many other issues and symposiums have been surveyed “de visu” for the whole period. There is a short annotation enclosed to each description, which helps readers finding easier the information they need. We have to notice that, more than 1000 publications were described, because the artistic life in Sliven was very abounding in events at that time. A selection was applied in compiling the bibliography: articles concerning the artistic life in Sliven until 1965 / the year of establishment of the Art Gallery in Sliven/ are included in the bibliography. After that time in the bibliography were included articles, about exhibitions arranged only in the Gallery’s buildings, about its exhibitions in Bulgaria and abroad, also exhibitions of special significance in the cultural life of Sliven arranged in other exhibition halls /Cultural Figures Club, House of the national army, “May” hall/. Because of the active work of local painters it would be impossible to include in the bibliography all the publications concerning their activity. The selection was made very carefully with the cooperation of Mr. Milev – a director of the Art Gallery. The compilers believe that local authors, painters and cultural figures will be interested in the bibliography.

Descriptions in the bibliography are in chronological order, and into each year – in alphabetical order, according to author’s name or title of the article. There is a system of indexes at the end of the bibliography, which helps readers and research workers. The index of the names informs about all the authors of publications, included in the bibliography, also informs about persons who were mentioned in articles, and the subject index  classifies articles in several basic topics /history of the artistic life– general materials, first artistic collection, Arts museum, Arts gallery, section painters, section – exhibitions -  general artistic exhibitions, individual exhibitions, graphical exhibitions, exhibitions-ex-libris, icons collections, exhibitions of caricatures, textile exhibitions, exhibitions of photos, jubilee exhibitions, exhibitions-competitions, articles, concerning exhibitions of Sliven painters in Sofia, in  Bulgaria and abroad are included, also about exhibitions of foreign painters in the Sliven gallery, there are sections which unite materials concerning anniversaries and jubilees, concerts with readings, lectures, organized in the gallery, donations are described in a special section, the index has links to books, albums, bibliographies and brochures. There are supplements, enclosed at the end of the bibliography: albums, a list of Jubilee papers published, documentary films, list of “Dimitar Dobrovich” Art Gallery‘s exhibitions for the period 1965- 2005, facsimiles and photos.

            The aim of the compilers of the bibliography is not only to find, collect and process in systematical order all publications, which show the various artistic life of Sliven, but also to provoke research workers /historians, researchers of the region, arts critics/ to continue working on the topic and as a result of this activity new research works to be written, because Sliven deserves it.