When Letters Met Stone: Typocamp in GabrovoLetters in Stone Connect International and Local Craft Practices in GabrovoWhen Letters Met Stone: Typocamp in Gabrovo

In July 2026, Gabrovo and Bozhentsi hosted an international programme dedicated to hand-carved lettering in stone, connecting craftsmanship, typography, cultural memory and the urban environment.

The programme included Typocamp 2026: Stone Carving Lettering, initiated and organised by Boril Karaivanov, founder of Typo.bg, and led by British master letter carver John Neilson. It was accompanied by the public meeting “Stone, Letter, Place — Typocamp Visits Gabrovo”, initiated and hosted by Rosina Pencheva, founder of Capturing Creativity and Homo Faber Ambassador for Bulgaria, in collaboration with Typo.bg and local cultural partners.

The open meeting attracted a large audience, with strong participation from Gabrovo and Veliko Tarnovo’s artistic, architectural and craft communities. It also prompted a direct continuation in Bozhentsi, where John Neilson and the international participants met the local artists and stone crafters. This encounter enabled a practical exchange of techniques, tools and knowledge across different craft traditions.

The meeting also addressed the Bulgarian form of the Cyrillic script and the role of lettering in architecture and public space. It was organised in support of Gabrovo’s candidacy for European Capital of Culture 2032, demonstrating how international exchange and local expertise can contribute to the development of a UNESCO Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art.

Read the full feature and photographic story by Rosina Pencheva:

https://capturing-creativity.com/news-when-letters-met-stone-typocamp-in-gabrovo