Scrutiny over allocation of funds to drag queen project raises concerns about cultural funding strain

The Ministry of Culture has appointed an investigation into exactly how the money was allocated to a project financed by the National Culture Fund, in which there is an element of gambling. According to the fund’s report published in March this year, a project received state funding, part of which was a bingo game show hosted by three participants.

Photos of men transformed as women and accompanied by the inscription “the project was implemented with the support of the National Culture Fund” ignited a lot of reactions on social networks and provoked an inspection by the Ministry of Culture.

“It’s not the type of project that’s the problem, but their place is not in this recovery program after the COVID crisis. As far as the appraisers have done their job, that’s the key. Is bingo gambling and does it need to be financed? It was a PR move that failed because Atanas Atanasov’s office opened the funnel, without clear criteria,” said Marina Vasileva, Deputy Minister of Culture.

We meet with the author of the project, Ivan Dimov, who tells us that the approval was received last summer. And the attack is now defined as pre-election provocation.

“We applied for an amount over BGN 90,000, BGN 77,000 was approved. Our artistic initiative “Drag Bingo” as a feather represents less than 7% of this amount. There is an element of play. Before we came up with the format, we consulted with lawyers whether it would be gambling, the answer is no, because there is no bet that can be won or lost,” says the author of the project.

Photo: Editorial team

One of the drag queens on the show is Malina Yank. Behind her stage image is a man of many talents.

Photo: Editorial team

“I do it because it’s my way of being on stage, it has theatre, music and dance in it. This represents a highly exaggerated and hyperbolized female image. We, the drag artists, when we are in high heels we stand up to 2 meters, there is no way to deceive that we are real women, that is not the goal either. That’s why our humor is more peppery, we allow ourselves to joke with the audience, it’s part of the show and people have fun, but in Bulgaria it’s a bit misunderstood. You don’t have to do drag and be transgender. In my everyday life, I don’t wear make-up and a wig, it’s completely a stage performance,” said Malina Jank – drag queen.

Asked for a comment by the NFC, they remained silent. The former Minister of Culture Atanas Atanasov was not available for comment.