On 20 February 2026, the Creative Works on European Integration exhibition brought together participants at Toplocentrala CCA in Sofia for an evening of reflection, creativity, and civic dialogue within the framework of the EU Journeys project.

The event created a welcoming atmosphere for exchange around a central question: how has European integration shaped people’s lives, memories, and hopes for the future? Through artworks, discussion, and audience interaction, the exhibition offered visitors an opportunity to engage with Europe not as an abstract concept, but as a lived and evolving experience.

Exhibited works and themes

The exhibition presented a diverse collection of works that encouraged visitors to consider Europe from multiple angles: historical, political, emotional, and forward-looking. Among the works featured were pieces connected to Jean Monnet, as well as works such as The Fifth Freedom, The 28th Regime, Story, Opening, and Not So Delicate Tensions. Together, they invited reflection on peace, sovereignty, cooperation, mobility, knowledge, and the fragility and promise of the European project.

Selected works from the exhibition included:

Programme and presentation

The programme introduced the broader mission of EU Journeys: Uniting Stories of European Integration and situated the exhibition within the project’s commitment to remembrance, participation, and intergenerational dialogue. The presentations highlighted how personal stories, historical milestones, and contemporary creative tools can come together to deepen understanding of Europe’s development and its impact on daily life.

Participants were invited to reflect on themes such as personal stories, historical roots, utopian and dystopian visions, and the role of contemporary creative expression in making complex European questions more accessible and engaging.

Discussion and audience exchange

The discussion that followed showed strong interest in the human dimension of European integration. Visitors connected the exhibited works with questions of identity, rights, cooperation, and democratic responsibility. The conversation moved naturally between memory and future imagination, demonstrating how cultural events can open meaningful civic dialogue.

Many contributions returned to the importance of listening to individual testimonies and preserving lived experiences as part of a broader European memory. This made the exhibition not only a presentation of creative works, but also a shared space for interpretation and exchange.

Mentimeter insights

The Mentimeter interaction added an important participatory layer to the event by capturing audience reflections in real time. The results visually reinforced the evening’s central themes: European integration is understood not only through institutions, but through opportunity, mobility, solidarity, remembrance, and personal experience.

The Mentimeter visuals are available below:

Continuing the journey

We thank everyone who joined the exhibition in Sofia and contributed to its atmosphere of openness, reflection, and dialogue. The event affirmed the value of using culture and storytelling to bring European topics closer to citizens and to create space for diverse voices.

The conversation does not end here. We invite more people to continue sharing their own stories of European integration through the EU Journeys initiative. You can submit your story here: Share your European integration story.

Project “EU Journeys: Uniting Stories of European Integration” (Ref No. 101196543, CERV-2024-CITIZENS-REM). Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.