PICTOPLASMA x Balkans

CONFERENCE & FESTIVAL OF CONTEMPORARY CHARACTER DESIGN AND ART

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20 – 22 September 2025

Varna, BULGARIA

PICTOPLASMA x Balkans is a conference and festival for contemporary art, design, illustration and animation with a focus on creating visual stories with characters.

By bringing the experience of the world’s largest platform for character design PICTOPLASMA, we are creating a space and time for artists, designers and animators from Eastern Europe to showcase their works, exchange ideas and build a Balkan community around their love for characters. Together, we push forward an interdisciplinary discussion and a new visual vocabulary – from illustration to animation, game to interactive design, urban to graphic arts.

PICTOPLASMA x Balkans is organized by StandArt, with the support of PICTOPLASMA.

Tickets

Get your tickets now and gain access to PICTOPLASMA’s lectures, workshops, party, screening and exhibition.

Artists

EXHIBITIONS

CHARACTERS ON THE ROAD

Opening: 20 September, 19:00 – 20:30, Railway Station, Varna – free entrance

A curated parade of illustrated characters sets off on a journey – revealing how they travel, what they pack, and the curious passports they carry. Their stories unfold through vibrant visuals, giving us a peek into the destinations they dream of (or escape from). And what better departure point than the iconic Varna Railway Station?

BALKAN CHARACTERS

Opening: 20 September, 20:30 – 22:30, The BookStore, Varna – free entrance

Eight artists, eight countries, endless creativity! From illustration and animation to textiles and street art, discover the freshest voices in Balkan character design at The Bookstore, Varna. Meet the main speakers of this year’s festival and experience their work up close. A unique chance to see how diverse styles and stories from across the region come together in one inspiring space.

Vitosha - Out of frame - Nanda Mentesheva

Opening: 17 September, 18:00 – 20:00, UniCredit Studio, Sofia – free entrance

Instead of staying in the window frame, Vitosha steps into the story. The works of Nanda will invite you to trade the window view for the real thing — to discover that the mountain is not just a backdrop, but a way back to yourself.
Nanda Mentesheva, winner of last year’s Imagine Balkans call for entries, has been awarded a solo exhibition in 2025 by our partners UniCredit Studio.

Animation screening

Takeshi Murata, Christopher Rutledge

BIG SCREEN PSYCHEDELIC EYE-CANDY…
… and storytelling genius: Pictoplasma x Balkans 2025 presents a feature film length selection of 17 fresh animated shorts and experimental narration a far cry from family entertainment, featuring the latest generation of characters in motion, including work by AJ Jefferies, Cat Johnston, Gabby Cherney, Will Anderson and Zohar Dvir…

22 September, Monday, 20:00 – 21:30, Archaeological Museum, free entrance

Workshops

3D FELTING WITH MEGAN DOMINESCU

20 September, 14:00 – 17:00, HALE 3

Get ready to poke, fluff, and shape your own creations! In this workshop, artist Megan Dominescu will guide you into the fun world of 3D felting. With just a sponge and some carded wool, you’ll learn how to turn your character designs into soft, huggable sculptures full of personality.
3D felting is simple, soothing, and seriously addictive—the process is just as delightful as the final results.

GRAFITTI CHARACTERS WITH DRASH

20 September, 14:00 – 17:00, HALE 3

Join Macedonian street artist Drash for a bold and colorful graffiti workshop! Together with the participants, he will create large-scale artwork in the heart of Varna, turning the city into an open-air canvas. Supported by the Municipality of Varna, this workshop is all about collaboration, creativity, and leaving a mark that everyone can see.
Get ready to spray, play, and bring the walls to life!

PATTERN DESIGN WITH TOCHKA

20 September, 14:00 – 17:00, HALE 3

Join illustrator and designer Tochka Ilieva for a hands-on workshop dedicated to the art of pattern design. Tochka will share her creative journey behind the brand Random Goodies and reveal how she develops unique custom patterns for clothing.
Participants will have the chance to design their own patterns during the session. It’s recommended to bring an iPad or another digital device that allows you to draw, so you can fully dive into the creative process.

12FPS WITH VANJA VIKALO LINNCH

20 September, 14:00 – 17:00, HALE 3

Take a sneak peek into the magical world of traditional animation with Serbian artist Vanja Vikalo Linnch! In this hands-on workshop, participants will design their own character and bring it to life by creating a simple looping animation based on a predefined movement.
A perfect chance to learn the basics of frame-by-frame animation—fun, creative, and a little bit hypnotic!

Picto Parade of characters with Martina Paukova

21 September, 14:00 – 17:00, HALE 3

Another playful character design workshop that celebrates individuality, gesture, and collective creativity. Taking a loose cue from the Finnish folk dance Jenkka — a line of people moving together — under the guidance of Martina you’ll create your own illustrated version: a procession of unique, expressive characters connected in motion, but each with their own personality.
No actual dancing required. Just bold characters, dynamic poses, and lots of variety.

CHARACTERS IN OTTOMAN MINIATURE WITH MURAT PALTA

21 September, 14:00 – 17:00, HALE 3

Step into the world of Ottoman miniature art with Turkish illustrator Murat Palta. In this hands-on workshop, you’ll uncover the secrets of this centuries-old tradition while giving it a fresh, modern twist.
Guided by Murat, participants will design their own characters in the miniature style—blending fine detail, humor, and imagination to create unique works that connect past and present.

CHARACTER PHENAKISTOSCOPE WITH ODD BLEAT STUDIO

21 September, 14:00 – 17:00, HALE 3

The phenakistiscope is considered one of the earliest forms of moving media entertainment, paving the way for the future of motion pictures and the film industry.
In this workshop, you’ll go back to the roots of moving images by creating your own DIY phenakistoscopes — spinning animated discs that bring drawings to life.
Each participant will create around 12 frames of a circular character animation.
You’ll then assemble the frames into a phenakistiscope and watch the characters come to life through motion!

ILLUSTRATION AS COMMUNICATION WITH HANA TINTOR

21 September, 14:00 – 17:00, HALE 3

Every illustrator is also an observer. In this workshop, Hana invites participants to step outside to seek inspiration, noting down whatever captures their attention.  
These real-world observations then become your brief – the starting point for creating an illustration that balances connection, narrative, and concept.
A playful challenge in visual storytelling, rooted in the everyday.

Festival

DISCUSSIONS PANEL
Do we even know what Character design is?

10 September, 19:00 – 21:00, L44, Sofia – free entrance

Ever wondered what makes character design more than just a cute drawing? Join us for a lively panel where we’ll dig into the mystery, the passion, and the quirky genius behind character creation. From illustration to animation, our speakers will explore what it takes to give a visual identity real feeling, personality, and that undeniable emotional spark.
Expect a thoughtful yet playful exchange — because at its best, character design isn’t just seen, it’s felt.
Panelists: Aleksi Ivanov, Aleksandra Georgieva – Sashettu, Aleksandar Gerginov, Tzvetana Nedeva – Kinderlist

Pecha Kucha

20 September, 17:30-18:30, HALE 3
21 September, 17:30-18:30, HALE 3

A selection of 14 artists from the call for entries take the stage of HALE 3 to introduce their work and inspirations in lively Pecha Kucha-style presentations – a slideshow of 20 images, each advancing automatically every 20 seconds. That will give them exactly 400 seconds to tell their stories — with visuals leading the way.