As a part of the Beyond the Obvious: Culture Crops 2019 conference, Culture Action Europe brought together inspiring speakers and distinguished panelists, as well as both experienced and emerging practitioners to provide insight and spark discussion about cultural practices in non-urban territories.
One of these speakers was Yanina Taneva, Ideas Creator and Founder at the Ideas Factory Association, based in Sofia, Bulgaria. Amongst the lively hubbub of the conference, and between sessions, Culture Action Europe had the opportunity to sit down with Ms. Taneva to learn more about her work with Ideas Factory and discuss the organization’s various initiatives and impact in more detail.
Of the various programmes that the Ideas Factory is currently engaging with, the Baba Residence distinguishes itself as a landmark initiative connecting urban young professionals with the experience and know-how of older generations in rural villages across the Bulgarian countryside.
Describing this exchange project, Ms. Taneva emphasizes the importance of one key concept – empathy – when working to bridge the urban and rural, as well as cross-generational divides during the Baba Residence 3-5 week exchange programme. “We communicate humbleness, working against a modern culture that is focused on showing off,” she notes, reflecting on how, in her experience, differences have been most often bridged through finding common solutions to common problems.
A native city dweller, Ms. Taneva herself became first interested in the rural way of life as a young person during a school trip, where she was exposed to traditions that she had previously been completely unaware of in the urban bubble of Sofia. However through pioneering Ideas Factory programmes such as the Baba Residence, she believes that the organization can create real social impact through culture, remarking how “cities are losing a diversity of life, but cultural identity is essential to human identity”.
Faced with pressing societal issues such decreased wellbeing and the climate crisis, she believes that the Ideas Factory can contribute to more resilient, adaptable societies through enabling authentic interactions and building stronger communities. However, given an increasingly difficult operating environment for NGOs in the national political sphere, Ms. Taneva and colleagues have been forced to adapt, connecting with small-town mayors and local governments in order to successfully implement projects.
Over the past decade, the Ideas Factory has successfully implemented programmes that increase participation, access and democracy in rural communities and contributed to strengthening inter-community and inter-generational ties between urban and rural areas in Bulgaria. Their manifesto sums up this work, with social change in Bulgaria “urgent to create a new world – one of justice, prosperity and oriented towards happiness”.
Baba Residence Participants, Bulgaria
Photo: Ideas Factory
