Kamelia Nikolova
Education and academic development
2006: Prof. in Theatre Studies and Bulgarian Theatre, Institute of Art Studies, BAS
2006: Prof. in History of European Theatre, NATFA
2004: DSc of Art Studies, Institute of Art Studies, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
2001: Assoc. Prof. in Theatre Studies and Bulgarian Theatre, Institute of Art Studies, BAS
1999: Assoc. Prof. in History of European Theatre, NATFA
1993: PhD of Theatre Studies, NATFA
1988–1991: Doctoral student in History and theory of European Theatre, NATFA
1979–1984: MA in Theatre Studies, NATFA
1978–1979: Philology, University of Sofia
1978 – 8th High School “Vasil Levski”, Sofia, profile: English and mathematics
Workplace
1994 – present: Professor in Theatre Studies and Bulgarian Theatre, Institute of Art Studies, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia
1994 – present: Professor in History of European Theatre; multiple head of the Department of Theatre Studies, NATFA, Sofia
1992–1994: Visiting assistant professor in History of European Theatre
1985–1994: Dramaturg, Youth Theatre, Sofia
Visiting professor at National Academy of Fine Arts, New Bulgarian University and abroad
Specialised at:
May 2025 – Erasmus+ Mobility – Palacký University in Olomouc, Czech Republic/ CZ
April 2015 – Erasmus+ Mobility – Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre (LMTA)
1.10.–1.11.1994 – Visiting researcher – University of Glasgow, United Kingdom/ UK
1.08.–31.12.1993– Scholarship by The Society for Theatre Research, London, UK
Joined Institute of Art Studies (IAS)
1994 – Assistant professor, PhD
Publications:
Monographs:
Николова, К. Режисьорите в европейския театър. Институт за изследване на изкуствата, БАН; Сдружение „Литературна къща“, 2021
Николова, К. Българският театър след 1989 и новата британска драма. Университетско издателство “Св. Климент Охридски", 2013; второ издание 2018
Nikolowa, K. (in an international team). Awangarda teatralna w Europie. Środkowo-Wschodniej. Wybór tekstów źródłowych. Instytut Teatralny Zbigniewa Raszewskiego, 2017
Николова, К. (in a team). История на българския театър. Т. ІV. Българският театър между двете световни войни. Институт за изследване на изкуствата, БАН, 2011
Николова, К. Модерната европейска драма в Народния театър между двете световни войни. Фигура, 2004
Николова, К. Експресионистичният театър и езикът на тялото. Университетско издателство “Св. Климент Охридски", 2000
Студии и статии:
Nikolova, K. Bulgaria. In: The Routledge Companion to Contemporary European Theatre and Performance. Edited by Ralf Remshardt, Aneta Mancewicz. Routledge, 2023, 44-51
Nikolova, K. Avant-garde theatre in Bulgaria: Transforming collective identifications in the 1920s-1930s. – In: LEXICON. A Lexicon of the Central-Eastern European Interwar Theatre Avant-garde. Performance Research Books, Aberystwyth, 2023, 63-68, 229-236, 287-291
Nikolova, K. Traveling across cultural borders: Dimiter Gotscheff’s theatre. In: Art Readings’2020. New Art Module: Journeys. Institute of Art Studies, 2020, 55-64
Nikolova, K. Theatre Director in the last two decades and his/her transformations – In: Art Readings’2017. New Art Module: Crossing Borders in Arts: beyond Modern & Postmodern. Institute of Art Studies, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2019, 10-18
And about 300 studies and articles in Bulgarian and international specialised editions, published in more than ten languages.
Selected national and international projects:
Sustainable development of “Heritage BG”Centre of Excellence – № BG16RFPR002-1.014-0011-C01 – Scientific Research, Innovation and Digitalisation for Smart Transformation Programme 2021–2027
Reclaimed Avant-Garde. Central and Eastern European Theatre Avant-Garde – Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland and Zbigniew Raszewski Theatre Institute, Poland – international research project, 2017–2025
Creation of a specialized e-library with scientific text and visual archive in the field of performing and screen arts – Scientific Research Fund, 2015–2017
Digital Theatre Words – OISTAT, 2011–2014
History of Bulgarian Theatre. Bulgarian Theatre in the Interwar Period, member of the team, Department of Drama, IAS, 2001–2011
New Theatre Words international project for compiling a multivolume multilingual dictionary of scenographic terms, OISTAT. Sweden, 1996–1998
Encyclopaedia of Bulgarian Theatre, member of the team, 1995–2000
Conferences
Prof. Kamelia Nikolova has delivered papers and participated in the mounting of a number of symposia and conferences both in Bulgaria and in the UK, USA, Poland, Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, France, Germany.
Courses of lectures
History of European Theatre (BA, MA) – NATFA
History of Bulgarian Theatre (World Culture Programme) – NATFA
History and Theory of Stage Directing – NATFA
World Culture – NATFA
Contemporary Stage Practices (MA, PhD) – NATFA
History and Theory of Drama – National Academy of Fine Arts
The end of the interpretations (MA) – New Bulgarian University
Teaching doctoral students Prof. Kamelia Nikolova has supervised doctoral students:
Alex Dachev, 2025–2028
Denitsa Ezekieva, 2021–2024
Miryana Dimitrova, 2020–2023
Nadia Keranova, 2020–2023
Peter Denchev, 2018–2021
Elena Panayotova, 2018–2021
Peter Kaukov, 2015–2018
Michail Baykov, 2015–2018
Zornitsa Kamenova, 2014–2017
Vaskressia Viharova, 2014–2017
Kalina Terzyiska, 2012–2015
Angelina Georgieva, 2011–2014
Ani Vaseva, 2011–2014
Asen Terziev, 2006–2009
Rumiana Nikolova, 2003–2006
Mira Tododrova, 2001–2004
Awards
2024 – GOLDEN CROSS Award of the President of the Republic of Poland
2024 – Selection on the proposal of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences as a member of
Academia Net (International portal of the best women scientists in Europe, Swiss
National Science Foundation)
2024 – ICARUS Award by the Union of Bulgarian Actors in Theatre History and
category for the book Bulgarian Theatre 1945-1989 (2023, co-authored)
2022 – ICARUS Award by the Union of Bulgarian Actors in Theatre History and Theory
category for her book European Stage Directors (2021)
2016 – GOLDEN AGE Award by the Ministry of Culture of the republic of Bulgaria
2015 – Nomination for PYTHAGORAS Award in Established Researchers in Social Sciences
and Humanities category for research achievements
2014 – ICARUS Award by the Union of Bulgarian Actors in Theatre History and Theory
category for her book Bulgarian Theatre after 1989 and the New British
Drama (2013)
2013 – GOLDEN MASK Award by Varna Drama Theatre for theatre criticism
2012 – ICARUS Award by the Union of Bulgarian Actors in Theatre History and Theory
category for the book History of Bulgarian Theatre, vol. ІV: History of Bulgarian
Theatre in the Interwar Period (2011, co-authored)
2010 – ICARUS Award by the Union of Bulgarian Actors in Theatre History and Theory
category for her book British Drama 1945–1989 (2009)
2007 – ICARUS Award by the Union of Bulgarian Actors in Theatre History and Theory
category for the book Bulgarian Dramatic Heritage (2006, co-authored)
2001 – Award by the Union of Bulgarian Actors in Theatre History and Theory category for
her book Expressionist Theatre and the Body Language (2000)
1996 – ASKEER Foundation Award for theatre criticism
1996 – Award by the Union of Bulgarian Actors in Theatre History and Theory category for
her book The Other Name for Modern Theatre (1995)
Main areas of research
History of European theatre; history of Bulgarian theatre and Drama; theory of drama and performance; history and theory of stage directing; new European drama; English/British drama; Central- and Eastern European theatre avant-garde; contemporary stage practices
Research related activities
Her scientific research work in the Theatre Department is combined with teaching and practice as theatre critic. Since 1992, she has been an assistant professor, associate professor (1999) and professor (2006) in History of European Theatre and Theory of Stage Directing at the National Academy of Theatre and Film Arts (NATFA), as well as multiple head of the Department of Theatre Studies. She is a visiting professor at the New Bulgarian University, the National Academy of Fine Arts and abroad.
Member of the Association of Theatre Researchers, Reviewers and Playwrights, Union of Bulgarian Actors; IATC; Publication and Communication Commission of OISTAT and The Fence international network for playwrights and cultural operators; member of expert commissions for NEAA, Ministry of Culture, EC. Vise President of Bulgarian Centre of ITI.
Sinse 1997 editor and contributor for the Stage page of Literaturen Vestnik (Literary Weekly); member of the editorial boards of European Journal of Arts Education j. (1999–2001); of Homo Ludens j. (since 2000); of To Be Continued j. (since 2001); of Papers of BAS. Humanities and Social Sciences j. (2014-2017); Editor-in-chief of SCENArt; Editor-in-chief/ Deputy Editor-in-chief of NATFA Annual (since 2001) and Deputy Editor-in-chief of Art Studies Quarterly j. (since 2007).
