The International Festival of Poetry “Orpheus” – Plovdiv 2018 gathers in Plovdiv, the oldest living city of Europe, poets from USA, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Turkey, Denmark, Israel, Ukraine, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Romania, Greece, Serbia and Bulgaria.

From 10 to 14 May 2018, the Little Early Christian Basilica will open its doors to the language of poetry. In the uniting environment of culture, art and literature, two poetical readings will be carried out, accompanied by a cultural and educational seminar and a writing forum. Contemporary creative messages will meet in an atmosphere inspired by antique and medieval cultural heritage. The guests of the festival will visit significant places of Bulgarian history and spirit, such as Asen's Fortress, the Bachkovo Monastery, the Thracian Tomb in Starosel and the Hisar Fortress; they will also join the traditional Plovdiv Festive Procession on May 11 in honor of the work of the holy brothers Cyril and Methodius.

“Orpheus” – Plovdiv 2018 aims to establish a long-lasting and valuable tradition of creative communication. The project is also contributed to the realization of Plovdiv – an European Capital of Culture 2019, as it is specifically aimed at creating and expanding cultural audiences and literary contacts and, of course, at creating a festival platform for literary events within this European initiative, so significant for Plovdiv and Bulgaria.

“Orpheus” – Plovdiv 2018 awards: “The Lyre of Orpheus” – for a poem from the poetic readings; “Orpheus” – for an overall performance; “Eurydice” – for love lyrics.

The poetic texts of the participants in “Orpheus” – Plovdiv 2018 will be published in a multilingual edition before the festival. The materials from the writers’ forum will be published in a bilingual book (in Bulgarian and in English) after its completion.