ZONA – organization for cultural practices was established as an NGO in 2025 in Bulgaria by the transnational artists and cultural workers Aleksandar Georgiev, Dario Barreto Damas, and Zhana Penkova Pencheva. Their aim is to open a new space for nourishing the fields of dance, choreography, and performance by providing time, actions, and support for artistic and cultural practices within these areas.
They are also invested in how these practices resonate within public spaces and audiences—what kinds of relations, relationships, and relationalities they may evoke and encounter through this new legal body that the trio will operate together.
ZONA functions as one of the legal entities supporting the operational structure of ICC.
VISION
ZONA envisions a vibrant and sustainable artistic ecosystem where dance, choreography, and performance practices are nurtured through care, reciprocity, and transnational collaboration. We imagine cultural spaces where bodies, ideas, and communities meet openly, shaping new forms of relation and shared responsibility.
MISSION
ZONA’s mission is to support artistic and cultural practices by creating conditions for research, creation, and exchange.
We work to strengthen the field of contemporary dance and performance by:
- providing time, space, and resources for artists;
- fostering collaborative and transdisciplinary approaches;
- engaging publics through accessible and resonant artistic experiences;
- cultivating ethical, sustainable, and relational modes of working.
ZONA acts as a connective platform between artists, audiences, institutions, and contexts.
GOALS
- Support Artistic Development
Offer residencies, companionships, and resources for artists at different stages of their practices. - Create Spaces for Research and Experimentation
Encourage processes that are open-ended, fluid, and rooted in curiosity, care, and embodied knowledge. - Foster Transnational Collaboration
Build bridges between artistic communities across borders, emphasizing mobility, exchange, and shared learning. - Engage Diverse Audiences
Develop programs that invite participation, dialogue, and encounter in public and cultural spaces. - Strengthen the Dance and Performance Field in Bulgaria and Beyond
Contribute to the visibility, sustainability, and infrastructure of contemporary choreographic practices. - Practice Relational and Ethical Cultural Work Promote values of care, transparency, responsibility, and long-term support across all collaborations.