Association Center for Projects Plovdiv | 24 February 2026

On the evening of 23 February 2026, the Episcopal Basilica of Philippopolis in Plovdiv welcomed over 180 guests to the opening of Book of the Moon — the first space art exhibition ever held in Bulgaria.The event marked the public launch of a project that brings together contemporary art, space exploration and cultural heritage in one of Plovdiv's most significant archaeological venues. The response exceeded expectations: guests filled the basilica from the first hour, with strong interest from the cultural community, media and the general public alike.

An Exhibition at the Intersection of Art and Space

Book of the Moon is a collaboration between the Association Center for Projects Plovdiv (CPP) and the Moon Gallery Foundation (Netherlands) — an international platform dedicated to bringing art to the Moon as part of future lunar missions. The exhibition presents works selected for the Moon Gallery project: miniature artworks designed to travel aboard a lunar lander as part of humanity's return to the Moon.Seeing these works displayed within the walls of the Episcopal Basilica of Philippopolis — a Roman-era archaeological site in the heart of Plovdiv — created an unusual and deliberate contrast: objects oriented toward the future, exhibited in a space that holds nearly two millennia of history.

Opening Programme

The evening opened with a live jazz performance by Miroslav Turiiski, one of Plovdiv's most celebrated jazz musicians, whose music welcomed guests into the basilica before the official proceedings began. 

The opening address was delivered by Ivelina Kadiri of the Association Center for Projects Plovdiv, followed at 18:30 by a curator's tour led by the Moon Gallery Foundation team, presenting the works and the broader mission behind the project. The evening closed with a reception, with Turiiski's music continuing throughout.The presence of the Moon Gallery team from the Netherlands brought an international dimension to the opening and generated considerable interest among attendees seeking to understand how Plovdiv came to host an exhibition of this kind.

Project Background

Book of the Moon is implemented under project reference BG-RRP-11.024-0037, financed by the Ministry of Culture of Bulgaria — NextGenerationEU, through the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism, and administered by the National Culture Fund of Bulgaria.The project represents a continuation of CPP's work in connecting Plovdiv's cultural identity with European and international cultural networks — a trajectory that has its roots in the city's experience as European Capital of Culture in 2019.

The exhibition remains open to the public from 23 February to 15 March 2026, free of entrance.

About the Partners

Association Center for Projects Plovdiv (CPP) is a non-governmental organisation with over 14 years of experience managing European cultural and educational projects. CPP has been a driving force in connecting Plovdiv's cultural sector with international partners and European funding programmes since the city's Capital of Culture year.

Moon Gallery Foundation is a Netherlands-based initiative whose mission is to establish a permanent cultural presence on the Moon. The foundation selects artworks from artists worldwide to be miniaturised and transported to the lunar surface aboard future missions, creating what will be the first gallery beyond Earth.

Photo by Viktor Kadiri

Project BG-RRP-11.024-0037 "Book of the Moon"Financed by the Ministry of Culture of Bulgaria  — NextGenerationEUAdministered by the National Culture Fund of Bulgaria