DEVELOPMENT AND NEW TEAM “SVESHTARI IN A NEW LIGHT”
DEVELOPMENT AND NEW TEAM “SVESHTARI IN A NEW LIGHT”
Credo Bonum Foundation would like to make the following clarifications for the development of the project “Sveshtari in a New Light” from its launch in October 2018 to December 2021.
We declare that at present the foundation has terminated its contractual relations with Prof. Diana Gergova, and under the same contract from 17.12.2018 50% of the salaries have been paid. The contract was terminated due to the non-fulfillment of the assigned activities, namely the lack of approval of the project of Prof. Gergova by the Ministry of Culture. The project named “Conservation, restoration and exhibition of the Thracian tomb near the village of Sveshtari. Return to the authenticity of the site” was considered by the Specialized Expert Council for the Protection of Immovable Cultural Property on 19.06.2020 and was rejected by a decision that the project does not contain enough information, does not meet modern methods of restoration and is not approved for further actions.
Following this decision, Credo Bonum Foundation, as the recipient of a grant from the US Ambassadors’ Fund for Cultural Heritage, decided to change the previous team and prepare a new project focusing not on archeology but on solving urgent problems in the tomb related to air conditioning, lighting and electrical installations, renewal of the thematic exposition plan of the permanent exhibition in the labyrinth of the tomb, renovation of the reception center and promotional activities related to the 40th anniversary of the opening of the Sveshtari tomb in 2022. This new proposal was fully agreed and approved by the US Ambassadors’ Fund.
As a follow-up, Credo Bonum Foundation signed a contract for joint work and cooperation with the History Museum of Isperih, which is administrating the Sboryanovo Historical and Archaeological Reserve, on whose territory the tomb is located.
A new thematic exposition plan was prepared in a team with Prof. Dr. Totko Stoyanov (archaeologist), Kalina Terzieva (designer), Ch. Assistant Professor Dr. Daniela Stoyanova (archaeologist), Teodora Vasileva (archaeologist), Maria Gancheva (archaeologist), Georgi Dekov (artist), and consultants: Assoc. Prof. Maria Chichikova (archaeologist), Vessela Nozharova (curator), Simeon Vassilev (project manager, Credo Bonum Foundation), Borislava Viskova (project manager History Museum of Isperih). The thematic exposition plan was coordinated and approved by the Ministry of Culture with letter 68-00-189 from 3.09.2021 on the grounds of art. 14, para. 1, item 13 of the Cultural Heritage Act.
New technical-investment projects were prepared in the part Architecture for the site, including updating of installations and replacement of glass windows in exhibition areas according to the originally approved project, as well as new lighting installation. The design team includes arch. Petar Stryaskov, arch. Martin Hristov, eng. A. Monev, eng. A. Marinov, eng. I. Saikova and lighting architect Mark Sutton Wayne, from Sutton Vane Associates. Sutton Vane Associates is an architectural lighting company specializing in the lighting of art, museums and the interior and exterior of historic buildings, including the Chinese Terracotta Army at the British Museum, Winchester Cathedral, England, the Roman Remains at Bath, York Cathedral, England and many others. The technical-investment projects were submitted for consideration to NINKN and additionally reviewed by the Specialized Expert Council for Preservation of Immovable Cultural Property at a meeting held on 27 and 28.10.2021, with decision number 33-НН-23316 of 8.12.2021, containing, in coordination with the Ministry of Culture, a positive opinion with permission to start the activities set out in the project.
The project is implemented with the support of the Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP), worth $ 184,000 and is managed by the Credo Bonum Foundation.
The project is to be implemented by the end of March 2022.
Development “Sveshtari in a New Light” in 2021, see the attached documents:
2021: Development and New Team
2021: Съгласувателно писмо ТЕП МК
