Since Derida Dance Center was founded in 2010, its residency program has been giving Bulgarian and international artists time, a stage and support to develop new work. Each residency ends with a public presentation at Derida Stage, and visiting choreographers often lead workshops for Bulgarian dancers.
The program creates space for intercultural exchange and future creative partnerships and enriches the cultural life of Sofia. More than 110 residencies have taken place so far: 44 by Bulgarian artists, 60 by international artists and 5 co-productions, with participants from Europe, North and South America, Asia and Australia.
In 2014 the European Commission included the program’s model among the four good practices in its handbook on artist residencies.
The residency program is part of the Calendar of Cultural Events of Sofia Municipality. The support for each year is listed under that year below.
Supported by Sofia Municipality - Calendar of Cultural Events. The residency of Ivan Estegneev was also supported by the Trust for Mutual Understanding, DOCK ART and Summa Artium.
Supported by Sofia Municipality - Calendar of Cultural Events. The residency of Volcà Company was also supported by the Embassy of France, the French Institute in Bulgaria and Teatroskop, and EX-POSE(S) by the French Institutes in Bulgaria, Hungary, Serbia and Paris, Teatroskop and Spedidam.
Supported by Sofia Municipality - Calendar of Cultural Events and the Ministry of Culture.
Supported by Sofia Municipality - Calendar of Cultural Events and the National Culture Fund, One-Year Grant program and Recovery and Development of Private Cultural Organisations program. The residency of Yang Weijia was also supported by the China Cultural Center.
Supported by Sofia Municipality - Calendar of Cultural Events, in partnership with Aerowaves and EDN.
Supported by Sofia Municipality - Calendar of Cultural Events. The residency of Yulia Mezhetskaya was in partnership with Machol Shalem Dance House (Jerusalem) and supported by the Embassy of Israel.
Supported by Sofia Municipality - Calendar of Cultural Events.
Supported by Sofia Municipality - Calendar of Cultural Events.
Supported by Sofia Municipality and the Ministry of Culture. The residency of Ofir Yudilevitch was a co-production with MASH (Machol Shalem Dance House), the residency of Ofra Idel, Ruby Edelman, Adam Shapira and Tzvika Iskias was in partnership with MASH and the Pro Rodopi Foundation, and the residency of Rebecca Margolick was supported by the GPS Fund and the Trust for Mutual Understanding.
More about the residents in 2017 on the old website.
Supported by Sofia Municipality, which also provides accommodation for the visiting artists.
More about the residents in 2016 on the old website.
More about the residents in 2015 on the old website.
More about the residents in 2014 on the old website.
Supported by Sofia Municipality, Culture Program, as part of Sofia’s bid for European Capital of Culture 2019. The workshop of Luc Reboyer within the CO-LABOR project was also co-funded by the America for Bulgaria Foundation.
More about the residents in 2013 on the old website and about the CO-LABOR 2013 project.
More about the residents in 2012 on the old website.
More about the residents in 2010-2011 on the old website.
© 2026 Art Link Foundation (Derida Stage, Derida Dance Center). This site was created within the framework of the project “Sustainable development of Derida Stage”, financed by the National Culture Fund of Bulgaria under the program “Recovery and development of private cultural organizations ’22”.
In the period 2020-2023, the activities of Art Link Foundation (Derida Stage, Derida Dance Center) became possible thanks to the financial support under the structural anti-COVID-19 programs of the National Culture Fund of Bulgaria: One-year program to support private professional organizations in Arts / Pilot Session 2020, One-Year Grant Program 21, One-Year Grant Program 22, and Recovery and Development of Private Cultural Organizations Program ’22. We thank the National Culture Fund for the support and trust!
