Journal of Danubian Studies and Research, Vol 8, No 2 (2018)

Abstract

The National Union of Artists of Ukraine is a leading creative association of artists and art critics, whose achievements reach the state level. It is represented by the organizations, formed in the regional centers. In 2008, the Izmail Municipal Organization of National Union of Artists of Ukraine was registered as a non-profit creative organization, which unites artists and art critics of the Southern part of Odessa region (Budjak region or Southern Bessarabia). The organization includes prominent artists from the South of the Odessa region (Izmail, Kiliya, Artsyz). A considerable number of members of the organization are Bessarabian Bulgarians, among them: Petr Chakir (1931-2012); Ivan Shishman, Alla Gritsenko (Chakir), Larisa Chakir-Uzun, Pavlo Macedonsky, Galina Sapunzi, Mikhail Peykov and Alexander Kara. For today only three artists from Budjak have received a high rank of the Honored Artist of Ukraine, and all of them are ethnic Bulgarians: Petr Chakir (2009); Alexander Kara (2012); Ivan Shishman (2015).