Address: 5300 Gabrovo, Vazrazhdane sqr., p.o.268
Phone: +359 66 80 53 31
e-mail: apripal@abv.bg
President: Radka Baltova
Secretary: Nikolay Kossov
At the initiative of Ivan Hr. Manafov, a disciple of Todor Burmov and the teacher Nikola Stefanov, on December 26th /after the old style/ 1861, in the cell of ‘St. Trinity’ Church, ‘Bulgarian Community Cultural Centre in Gabrovo’ was founded. Manafov was elected a chairman.
The objectives of the Center were the following:
- to supply reading materials for the readers of the community;
- to support and assist Bulgarian literature;
- to support the poor students and, generally, to promote education amongst the people in the region.
Vassil Aprilov’s private library, collected in Odessa and, up to that time, preserved in Teacher Tsvyatkov’s School, was removed in the church cell. This library, along with the books from the one, founded as part of the school in 1840, provided the main library collections for the newly established Community Centre. For this reason, in 1872 it deservedly came to bear the name ‘Aprilov-Palauzov’.
The Community Centre abandoned its activities after the abortive attempts for rebellion in 1862 but on July 20th 1871, in Tsanko Dyustabanov’s house, these activities were resumed.
Having improved its financial stability, as well as its organizational structure, the Community Centre set up a trade company called ‘Bulgarian Community Centre Savings’ and extended its activity by doing charity such as educating teachers for Macedonia and opening the so-called ‘Village Boarding House’ to serve poor children from the nearby settlements.
After the revolt in 1876 and up to the Liberation, the Community Centre experienced hard times. However, an idea was becoming ripe - it was high time Gabrovo people had built a modern building of the Community Centre in Gabrovo (“the Bulgarian Manchester”). A fund was raised in 1898 and on March 30th the following year the foundation stone of the present building was laid.
After a certain standstill during the period of the wars, the building was completed and officially opened on December 31st 1922.
The modern Community Centre building provided excellent opportunities for theatre performances and they soon turned into reality. In 1923 a theatre commission of 4 people was formed, along with a theatre troupe. In 1929 a Gabrovo Municipal Theatre of amateur artists was started. A children’s theatre was set up, too. During that period, the interest in film shows as a secure source of income quickened. In the course of time the ‘dumb’ cine-projector was changed for a modern sound camera.
In its efforts to facilitate its relations with the townspeople, in 1923 the Community Centre started publishing a weekly newspaper called ‘The News’, which covered the cultural and economic progress of the town. In 1945 the townspeople decided to open the State Drama Theatre. In the end of the 50s, with the establishment of the new district towns, the valuable library collections were confiscated by the authorities and the library was named ‘District Library’ with state budget and independent staff.
The educational and training activities and the artistic creativity of the amateurs in particular, are the distinguishing features of the Community Centre which brought satisfaction and pride to its founders. As to the viewers and listeners, they were provided aesthetic perceptions at a very high level. The amateur groups of the Community Centre went down well in almost all parts of Bulgaria. They gave concerts in Greece, Turkey, Romania, Belarus, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, France, Belgium, Denmark, Armenia, the USA, etc.
In the 60s, in that very Community Centre, the beginning of Gabrovo Chamber Orchestra was laid.
Bands:
- Groups for traditional folklore - instructor Hristo Stoynov
- Magia Show ballet - instructor Alexender Belkov
- Megadance Dance Formation - instructor Maria Ilieva
- Ritmika Sports Dance Club – club coaches Veselina and Todor Zhekov
- Mixed choir for professional singing – conductor Elena Nazurova, accompanist Ulia Golemanova, vocal pedagogue Radka Kandeva