The Tobacco City (Тютюнев град) is a Plovdiv 2019 Foundation project focused on the former tobacco warehouses and the industrial heritage of central Plovdiv, Bulgaria. It uses artistic activities, installations, exhibitions and research to draw attention to the area and the challenge of preserving its historic buildings.234
The initiative began in 2014, while Plovdiv was preparing its bid to become European Capital of Culture 2019, and continued as a flagship project in the 2019 programme.411 The Plovdiv 2019 Foundation developed and implemented it as part of the European Capital of Culture programme.2 Its work sits within the Foundation’s TRANSFORM platform and Urban Dreams cluster, which aim to bring cultural activity to neglected urban spaces and support their revitalisation.4
Activities have included public discussions, documentary and exhibition projects, an online platform, urban games and cultural events. A former tobacco warehouse was also converted into SKLAD, a cultural venue and the Plovdiv 2019 Foundation’s headquarters.4911 The project’s historical materials included contributions by journalist and theatre critic Penka Kalinkova, who proposed the name “The Tobacco City.”6
The warehouses form an industrial and architectural ensemble dating in part to the 1920s; the project uses cultural programming to raise awareness of their history and preservation.34 The Plovdiv 2019 Foundation is the project’s developer and implementing organisation.2