Institute of Art Studies

The Institute of Art Studies history goes back to1947 when two scholarly units were established in Sofia: the Institute of Art Studies, directed by the prominent sculptor academic Ivan Lazarov, and the Institute of Music (with museum), directed by the notable composer and publicist academic Petko Staynov. Initially devoted to research on fine arts, the Institute of Art Studies extended its activities by including departments of theatre, cinema and television. The Institute of Music was found to stimulate research on musical folklore in Bulgaria. Over the years it also broadened its range of activities and developed studies on history and theory of music, musical pedagogy and psychology, musical theatre, ethnomusicology, medieval, art and popular music. In 1988 the two institutions merged under the name of Institute of Art Studies with four divisions: fine art studies, music studies, theatre studies, and film studies. Nowadays the Institute of Art Studies keeps representing the only ...