On 13.09.2018 in Calarasi, Romania, Mayor of Veliko Tarnovo Municipality signed a Subsidy Contract under “Art & culture – common cross-border assets in support of sustainable tourism development”, Acronym: A&C, project code: ROBG-576. The project is cofinanced by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund under the Interreg V-A Romania – Bulgaria Programme, Priority Axis 2: “Green region”, Investment Priority 6 c “Conserving, protecting, promoting and developing of the natural and cultural heritage”. Specific Objective: 2.1 To improve the sustainable use of natural heritage and resources and cultural heritage;

The project has been approved for financing with Decision with reg. no. 72/22.03.2018 of the Monitoring Committee of the Interreg V-A Romania-Bulgaria Programme 2014 – 2020 in terms of the 3rd Call for proposals under the Programme. 

Start date of the activities: 14.09.2018

End date for completing the activities: 13.09.2021

Duration: 36 months

The overall objective of the project is to valorize and improve the sustainable economic use of cultural assets and common cultural heritage within the CB region through development of a joint integrated tourism product based on the promotion of a new common thematic route “Art & Culture”.

The project is implemented by Veliko Tarnovo Municipality in partnership with Calafat Municipality, Dolj region, Romania and Face for Art and Culture Foundation, Pleven.

BUDGET OF THE PROJECT FOR ALL PARTNERS:
PROJECT VALUE : 1,487,271.41 EURO, OUT OF WHICH
AMOUNT OF THE EU CONTRIBUTION: 1,264,180.69 EURO ERDF

THE OVERALL OBJECTIVE:

The main objective of the project is to assess and improve the sustainable economic use of the existing potential of cultural values and resources of the common cultural heritage in the Romania - Bulgaria cross - border region by developing an integrated tourism product based on the promotion of a new joint thematic route "Art and Culture", contributing to supporting the sustainable development of tourism. The project aims at creating and promoting a common thematic route from sites of classical and contemporary culture and art in the urban environment in the Romania - Bulgaria cross-border region, through measures to improve the state of cultural and historical attractions on the territory of the municipality of Veliko Tarnovo and the municipality of Calafat. The activities envisaged in the project contribute to the achievement of the following specific objectives: promoting the development of tourism in the region; improving cultural infrastructure; diversification of tourism products and services in the region. For the successful implementation of the project is necessary to prepare a Marketing Strategy for the realization of an integrated tourist product, including a joint thematic route "Art and Culture", which will serve to promote the new integrated tourist services provided at regional and international level.

The project uses an innovative approach for valorization and sustainable use of the common cultural heritage for further development of cultural and event tourism in the cross-border region, while creating an attractive and sustainable joint integrated tourism product "Art and Culture", based on preliminary studies of the advantages of the town of Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria and the town of Calafat, Romania as established national historical and cultural centers with the potential to provide integrated tourist services at the regional level.

The project will implement activities for development, marketing, promotion and sustainable use of the joint integrated tourism product "Art and Culture".

All activities included in the work package: Development of a new integrated tourism product "Art and Culture in the cross-border region Romania - Bulgaria" will directly contribute to achieving the overall goal of the project and will improve the sustainable use of the common historical and cultural heritage.

ACHIEVED PROJECT OUTCOMES AS RESULT OF THE IMPLENTED PROJECT ACTIVITIES:

1 created integrated joint tourist product “Art & culture”, in terms of which, the following touristic services and products to be created:

*  1 created joint integrated thematic route "Art and Culture", which includes 6 cultural sites - 4 in Bulgaria and 2 in Romania (located in the target region), as follows:

- Regional Art Gallery "Boris Denev" (Veliko Tarnovo),

- Marincu Palace (Calafat),

- Drama Theatre "Vida" (Vidin);

- Art Gallery "Nikola Petrov" (Vidin),

- Art Gallery Donation "Collection of Svetlin Rusev" (Pleven),

- The Art Museum – the Jean Mihail Palace (Craiova);

* 1 created web portal;

* 1 created joint tourist service: Development of smartphone applications for the integrated TRPs - one for Android and one for iOS - trilingual (in BG, RO and ENG), user-friendly;

* 1 developed  Marketing Strategy of “Art & Culture” product;

*  1 held promotional campaign;

*  1 developed Catalogue of intangible cultural heritage, included in the product "Art and Culture";

All project partners will join efforts to study, develop and promote the common thematic route of classical and contemporary culture and art in unison with the urban environment in order to improve the sustainable development of tourism in the cross-border region.

PROJECT ACTIVITIES:

• Development of joint integrated Thematic Route "Art & Culture", innovative joint touristic services and Marketing Strategy of the integrated tourism product “Art & Culture”;
• Organization of Promotional campaign;
• Development of interactive workshop “Work and play: Art-therapy”, interactive Workshop “Archaeologist for a day”;
• Organisation and conducting of cultural open air event “Urban art” in Calafat, Romania and of a cultural open air event “Urban art” in Veliko Tarnovo;
• The planned activities for infrastructure investments are in the cultural sites Art Gallery “Boris Denev” in Veliko Tarnovo and the Marincu Palace in Calafat, which will be modernized to become modern art centres, attracting a significant number of tourists by organizing and promoting joint exhibitions and holding events and outdoor events in the adjacent areas of the sites.