About
Founded in 2014 in Sofia, 180° – Laboratory for Innovative Art has evolved into one of Bulgaria’s leading platforms for experimental and interdisciplinary art. More than a festival, it is a creative laboratory where artists from music, dance, performance, visual arts, design, and architecture come together to experiment, collaborate, and challenge artistic conventions.
Since its inception, 180° has been dedicated to providing space for artistic freedom, risk, and discovery, where the process itself is as important as the result. Each edition revolves around a central theme that acts as a creative provocation. The 2025 edition explores the theme “PARAD-ISO” — playing with the tension between parade and isolation, and opening space for reflection on visibility, belonging, and utopia.
Over the years, the festival has grown into an important meeting point for international exchange, fostering collaborations between emerging and established artists, and building long-term partnerships across Europe. 180° works in close partnership with the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Sofia Municipality, Pro Helvetia, the Italian Cultural Institute, the Goethe-Institut Bulgaria, and a wide network of independent cultural organizations and venues.
Through its Community Lab° educational program, the festival extends beyond its annual edition, offering workshops, discussions, and critical writing labs that connect students, professionals, and audiences. Every year, Sofia transforms into an open laboratory — a space for experimentation, dialogue, and artistic exploration that continues to grow long after the festival week ends.
2024
THE ELEVENTH EDITION (2024) OF 180° – Laboratory for Innovative Art took place from October 4 to October 11, marking the festival’s first autumn edition after a decade of summer seasons. Under the theme “tacet”, international and local artists came together in Sofia for a renewed edition that embraced new spaces, collaborative formats, and experimental encounters across disciplines.
2023
THE TENTH ANNIVERSERY EDITION OF 180 ° was held between July 22. - July 28. 2023. International artists met in the capital and worked together to escape traditional notions, to experiment and to develop their innovative ideas for exploring various artistic dimensions.
2022
THE NINTH EDITION OF 180 ° was held between July 23. - July 29. 2022. International young artists met in the capital and worked together to escape traditional notions, to experiment and to develop their innovative ideas for exploring various artistic dimensions.
2021
THE EIGHT EDITION OF 180 ° was held between July 24. - July 30. 2021. International young artists met in the capital and worked together to escape traditional notions, to experiment and to develop their innovative ideas for exploring various artistic dimensions.
2020
THE SEVENTH EDITION OF 180 ° was held between June 3. - July 31. 2020 in a digital form. The festival gave the artists the opportunity to collaborate from a distance and focus on the artistic process. For a month the audience could follow the creative path of the six festival teams and could participate in artistic discussions. The theme of the festival in 2020 was "χώρος"(choros).
2019
The SIXTH EDITION OF 180 ° was held on July 20. - 26. 2019 in Sofia. The festival consisted of 6 events, installations and workshops. The theme of the festival in 2019 was "Forms".
2018
THE FIFTH EDITION OF 180 ° was held on July 21. - 27. 2018 in Sofia. The festival consisted of 6 events, installations and workshops. The theme of the festival in 2018 was "Elements".
2017
THE FOURTH EDITION OF 180 ° was held on July 22 - 28, 2017 in Sofia. The festival consisted of 6 events, 1 exhibition and a workshop for contemporary music. The theme of the festival in 2017 was "unCOOL".
2016
THE THIRD EDITION OF 180 ° was held July 23. - 29. 2016 in Sofia. The festival has grown into a seven-day event consisting of interdisciplinary performances, exhibitions and an educational project. The theme of the festival in 2016 was "Outside".
2015
From the 10th to the 13th of August 2015 was held the second edition of 180°. The festival has become a laboratory that provides a platform for young artists to experiment with new techniques for presenting different arts. Artists from 10 nationalities in the field of music, dance, theater, design and fine arts were guests, who presented to the Sofia audience innovative events in non-standard locations. The theme of the festival in 2015 was "Années folles".
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