🎨 Bulgarian Pilot: Young Designers Nudging Climate Action in Gabrovo
Empowering Creativity for a Greener Future
The Museum of Humor and Satire (MHS) in Gabrovo brought together the power of art, humor, and youth creativity to inspire climate-friendly behaviour. Through an engaging pilot action, young designers were invited to create visuals that “nudge” people towards reducing waste and increasing recycling — turning imagination into impact.
The Designers’ Challenge
Launched in May 2025, the Designers’ Contest invited both university students and high-school pupils to take part. Upon registration, each candidate filled out a short questionnaire about climate change, helping them reflect on environmental issues before diving into the creative process.
The competition drew 35 young talents, eager to use design as a tool for sustainability.
Learning Through Cultural Interventions
In mid-June, MHS hosted a series of cultural interventions — interactive activities designed to blend art, learning, and environmental awareness.
Participants joined:
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A guided tour and documentary film about the Regional Waste Management System in Gabrovo,
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The “Climate Fresk” game, a collaborative activity that deepens understanding of climate systems, and
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A workshop with ecology and design-thinking experts, where ideas took shape and concepts evolved.
From Inspiration to Creation
After the interventions, participants had three weeks to design their billboards. Supported by professional designers, they worked individually to transform insights into impactful visuals.
In total, six billboard designs were submitted across two age categories — university students and teenagers.
And the Winner Is…
An expert jury of designers and ecology professionals selected Victoria Dimitrova, a 21-year-old student, as the contest winner. Her design was printed on a 3×4-metre billboard, proudly displayed in Gabrovo city.
To support her artistic growth, MHS awarded Victoria a special prize — a professional course in design software at SoftUni Bulgaria.
This pilot demonstrates how creative engagement can make sustainability more relatable and fun. By combining humor, art, and environmental education, the Museum of Humor and Satire continues to show that small nudges can lead to big changes.
