Three years ago, Galia Koleva and Todor Kolev set up an art gallery in Stara Zagora with the name GalasArt. Galia is an artist and uses the nickname Gala. Her husband Todor supports her fully appreciating her dedication to art and other noble causes.

„From the very start we decided that this project is not an art shop but a gallery with its own social activity and mission”, Todor Kolev says. “We have already taken part in international exhibitions - in Britain - in 2013 in Cambridge, and in 2015 in Harrogate. In 2014 we launched a website for children's contests in fine art. The results have surpassed our expectations. Now we have 250-300 participants in every contest. We have children from Sofia, Varna, Plovdiv and the village of Sotirya, but also from Boston, Ohrid, Skopje and Vienna. Once every two months we announce a theme for children's paintings. The contests are with free access. Our participants send a registration form by e-mail plus a photo of their works.”

Encouraging children to create art, the Kolevs turn to other noble causes as well. If the winners decide to donate their works, the gallery offers them very good prizes. Their works in turn are offered for sale by the gallery. With the money raised various causes are supported - most often children in need. The Stara Zagora-based gallery has already provided support to priest Ivan from the town of Novi Han who has founded and manages an orphanage there. Orphan Dancho Petev has also received support from the Kolevs. He is a talented singer who needs a chance to show his skills and receive acknowledgement.

The Kolevs are also organizers of an annual contest dedicated to the engineering legacy of Leonardo da Vinci. What is behind it? Well, it is because Todor Kolev is an engineer, and his wife, an artist.

„Leonardo is the perfect example of the Renaissance man, the genius who can provide endless inspiration to the participants in the contest who are asked to recreate his engineering ideas on canvas. The prizes include laptop computers and tablets. Besides, the artworks of the winners are donated to the sponsors who are free to use them for promotion and for participation in their own charity projects. We have had three editions of this contest and we will soon announce the fourth one.”

According to Todor Kolev it is good to pay attention to other geniuses who should be presented to the children, for example, Isaac Newton, Nikola Tesla and many others. "We attract both sponsors and partners”, he says. “The sponsors provide financing, because our idea is to urge teenagers aged from 12 to 19, to paint already on canvas, with professional paints as they recreate the set topic. This however cannot happen with sponsors alone. We also need partners ready to embrace this cause. We have had many worthy partners - the Municipality of Stara Zagora, St. Kliment Ohridski community club, artists who have been jury members in our contests including from Britain - a friend of ours who was amazed to see how we work with children.”

Currently, the cause for which the Kolevs have been raising charities is to support the day center for people with disabilities Sts. Damian and Cosmas in Stara Zagora. "These are incredible people”, Todor says. They have only got a budget for food and social activities, but have zero cash for personal needs outside the day center. Some of them have mental illnesses and are not in a good condition. I have personally supported them many times. The funds, which we will raise this time, will go to these people."

English Daniela Konstantinova