About

Third Eye Workshops are photography workshops for children in Roma communities in Bulgaria, led by photographer Ellie Ivanova. Their goal is to empower children from marginalized minorities by giving them the tools of self expression and to make their point of view known to society in general.

Even though Bulgaria is now part of the European Union and has long been part of the globalized world, Roma people have always experienced rejection from the mainstream society. Children don’t have the social and educational opportunities available to other kids and often they don’t even know what life looks like for the rest of their peers. On the other hand, their culture, traditions and point of view is ignored in the rest of the country, making it a cultural enclave with very few points of contact and interaction. This social issue was the inspiration for a workshop that would empower Roma kids with the tools and the opportunity of self expression as well as the joy of being heard by others.

Two workshops were organized in the summer of 2010 in Shumen and Kyustendil, with the collaboration of many people who donated cameras for the kids to use, spread the word and gave us ideas, support, ideas, and smiles. The workshops happened with the invaluable support of Association Ethnotolerance, Iskra Foundation, Association Largo and especially Ognian Isaev and Galina Nikolova. Center Haspel in Sofia, Association Ethnotolerance in Shumen and TCC-NE in Hurst, TX hosted exhibitions of the workshops work.

Workshops are planned again for the summer of 2012. Your collaboration, in terms of cameras and and ideas, is very welcome! Please contact Ellie Ivanova at ellie.j.ivanova@gmail.com. You can also subscribe to our Third Eye group on Facebook.