ВИЖ! (as in Take a look!) is an independent arts and culture media outlet.
Our print magazine has reached thousands of readers every month since 2012. The print editions are organized around different themes and are distributed for free in Sofia and Burgas, as well as the southern parts of the Black Sea coast during the summer season. You can browse the complete archive of the virtual editions at issuu.com/vijsofia.bg
The online platform vijmag.bg is the only cultural media in Bulgaria with an English-language archive, which presents and promotes the achievements of Bulgarian culture outside the territory of the country, as well as among the English-speaking audience at the national level.
Our trademark is a strong visual identity and quality journalistic materials. The topics that ВИЖ! develops are related to significant public issues in the fields of culture, art, ecology, human rights, freedom of speech and education.
The media presents contemporary topics in the field of culture, as well as to provide a platform for young artists working in different fields and genres. By bringing together authors, projects and platforms in thematic issues, our medium has often helped to initiate, implement and expand various cross-genre connections in individual sectors that have led to lasting creative partnerships.
The media's mission is to:
Promotes and supports freedom of speech and independent journalism
Affirms the values of democracy and civil society
Works to increase the level of literacy, critical thinking and education
Promotes and supports the development of the cultural and creative sector in Bulgaria
Assists in the integration of Bulgarian into European culture by presenting good European and world cultural examples, as well as by promoting and launching local cultural initiatives that have the potential to be exported outside the country
ВИЖ! has realized many cultural events: exhibitions, film screenings, literary readings, creative contests, discussions, lectures, musical events, ect.
ВИЖ! is part of the Reset! – European network gathering and supporting independent cultural and media organisations.
In the spring of 2020, during the lockdown imposed as part of the pandemic state of emergency, the magazine partnered with publishing house Janet 45 and released its first book When outside was inside. Isolation diaries. The project received an award from the Sofia Metropolitan Municipality for outstanding achievements in the field of culture. The book launched as part of the Sofia International Literary Festival and received two nominations for the annual "Golden Lion" literary awards of the Bulgarian Book Association – in the categories "Publishing Project with Great Public Significance" and "Best Book."
During 2020-2021, the ВИЖ! team organized several group exhibitions: Isolation diaries (Sofia and Plovdiv, 2020) with works by more than 70 contemporary visual artists and writers (curated by Vesela Nozharova) and the exhibition The First Hundred (Sofia and Burgas, 2021) featuring 40 contemporary visual artists. ВИЖ! has also organized creative competitions, literary readings and book launches, film screenings, etc.
For us, ВИЖ! is not just a job, but also a breath of inspiration and creative freedom to which we dedicate our time with pleasure and a lot of love. We hope that our readers feel the same way.
Supporting ВИЖ! you support not only the development of the media, but also the existence of quality cultural journalism and an independent media in Bulgaria.