Information for a Visitor

[Stephen Burge Johnson]

Lidia Varbanova is a professor of Arts Management in Bulgaria.  She
plans, if grants and the politics of her country allow her, to travel to
Canada this spring, in part to the ACTR conference in St John's.  She
would be grateful for any ideas as to how she might extend her stay, with
visits, consultations and classes for any Arts Management Programs or
courses, or simply contact with Arts Organizations.  She will (Hopes to
be) in St John's, but would be interested in possibilities on the East
Coast, or around Toronto, through which she will travel.

I have excerpted a part of her letter to me.

I would appreciate any ideas you might wish to forward to her by email at
the Balkan Arts Foundation.


-------------------------
Stephen Johnson   School of Art, Drama and Music
McMaster University   Hamilton   Ontario   CANADA   L8S 4M2
voice 905-525-9140x27664  fax 905-527-6793

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 13 Jan 97 07:02:08 +0200
From: Balkan Arts Foundation <baf at sf.cit.net>
To: sjohnsn at mcmail.CIS.McMaster.CA


Dera Stephen.
Thanks for your e-pmail message. As you might have heard from the media, there
are lots of demonstrations in Sofia and the Parlament building was nearly broke
two days ago. The communists don't want to give the power, the democrats don't
want to cooperate...Nobody knows the result.
I plan to come to Canada, but there are two obstacles: the visa and the money
for the ticket. We don't have Canadian embassy and the application should be
done through Belgrade. As you know, the situation there is also very chaotic.
It is a real challenge to live on the Balkans nowadays! I applied for a travel
grant and if I succeed, I'll try to arrange my flight through Toronto. I'll be
grateful if you could check what is the price for the flight St.John's-Toronto
and back. If you find any addresses and names of people in the arts management
field from the east cost, I'll be happy to have them. I am sorry to ask you for
all this information, but Bulgaria is very closed country and I couldn't obtain
any piece of information about Canada here. My contact person for the ACTR
conference is Denis Salter.
You might guess, that to come to Canada just for two days is very
unreasonable. So I am trying to establish contacts in advance. Toronto is too
far from the Newfoundland, but if I find money, it will be OK.
Thanks for keeping in touch!
Greetings,
Lidia Varbanova