NATFA

The National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts (NATFA) plays a crucial role in shaping the future of the performing arts and film industry in Bulgaria. NATFA is the first, most popular, and most prestigious educational institution for theatre and film arts studies in Bulgaria, situated in the heart of the capital city Sofia, with over 75 years of history. NATFA educates annually over 650 students at all levels: Bachelor, Master, and Doctoral.

STUDIES

NATFA’s students have the privilege to be taught by some of the most experienced professionals – over 90 full-time professors, adjunct professors and assistant professors, leading experts, professional artists, researchers, and educators in the field of stage and screen arts, theatre and film production, arts management, creative entrepreneurship, European cultural policy, and other key areas.

Programmes in both the Screen Arts Faculty and the Theatre Arts Faculty are accredited by the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) and are designed to meet the individual needs of the students by offering a combination of practical, transferable skills and academic learning, and to enable them to successfully find diverse professional opportunities in both the audiovisual genres and the performing arts.

PERFORMANCE SPACES

NATFA is based in four buildings, three of them are in the centre of Sofia. The National Palace of Culture, the National Theatre, the National Opera and Ballet and the National Puppet Theatre, and some of the most famous theatres are located near to the Academy.

NATFA boasts several training centres that finalize the educational process: NATFA Theatre, NATFA Puppet Theatre, and the Educational Audio-Visual Complex. Also at the disposal of the students and lecturers are: the Academic Library and Archive , TV studios, sound stages, computer studios, recording studios, editing suites, B/W and colour photo lab, a number of training theatre stages and dance halls.

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

Research and development within NATFA are integral to advancing the fields of theatre and film, enriching artistic expression, and fostering innovation. R&D are essential components of NATFA's mission to educate, inspire, and empower the next generation of theatre and film artists in Bulgaria. Through research, the academy not only enriches and advances artistic practice but also contributes to the cultural vitality and societal relevance of the performing arts and film industry. NATFA stimulates a large range of research perspectives in relation to cultivating talent, preserving cultural history, exploring interdisciplinary connections, addressing societal issues and supporting industry development.

Research and artistic activities are documented by NATFA’s Library and archive and disseminated by the yearly bulletins. NATFA organises a yearly international conference under the title “Text and Image”, monthly Academic seminar and publishes a Yearly book on research.