Yuriy Vulkovsky

Summary

Yuriy Vulkovsky has more than 25 years in culture and social innovation, both in Bulgaria and the EU, including vast experience in project management, capacity building, training and education, advocacy, applied research and need assessment, as well as building cooperation platforms with business and public authorities.

Most recently, Yuriy Vulkovsky was a Deputy Minister of Culture of the Republic of Bulgaria (Dec 2021 - August 2022) responsible for regional cultural development and the National Fund "Culture", among others.

As a member of the Strategy Group of the European Initiative “A Soul for Europe” (since 2006), he provided training on cultural impact management and advocacy work for cultural organisations from various countries in Central and Southeast Europe, as well as in Eastern Partnership countries. On a local level, he worked in close cooperation with national and local public authorities in the development of grant-making programs for cultural NGOs and micro-enterprises in the cultural field, including as a member of the Advisory Board of the Sofia Innovation Fund (2015-2017) and Deputy Chair of the Board of Sofia Municipality Fund of Culture and Creative Industries (2017-2019).

Since 2014 Vulkovsky also gains vast experience and expertise in the field of social entrepreneurship and social innovation as a founder of the first Bulgarian Incubator for early-stage social entrepreneurs as part of the international network of Reach for Change Foundation. Following his achievements in the fields of social innovation he was a selected member of the GECES (the EU Commission Expert Group on social economy and social enterprises) and he was a member of the European Venture Philanthropy Association (EVPA) Policy Committee.

Since 2014 Vulkovsky is evaluating proposals submitted under the “Creative Europe” Program and "Europe for Citizens" Program (later CERV). Since 2022 he is evaluating proposals under the “Erasmus Plus” Program too.

He is Salzburg Global Seminar Fellow (2007) and Marshall Memorial Fellow (2011). As an acknowledgement of his work, he was selected as one of the 40 under 40 European Young Leaders in 2014.

Yuriy Vulkovsky is a validated senior expert (to support the implementation of the European Structural and Investment Funds) by the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (EU Commission) in the fields of:

13. Labour Market
   - 1.7 - Business incubators and micro-enterprises

28. Tourism and Culture
   - 1.7 - Culture

8. Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship
   - 1.7 - Corporate Social Responsibility
   - 2.7 - Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship