Art of Building Communities
About the Project
This handbook represents the synthesized wisdom of the Erasmus+ Training Course held in Stolat, Bulgaria in March 2026. The project gathered 24 community builders from 8 countries to share experiences points of view and learn from each other. It was born from a deep exploration into why some human gatherings flourish while others fail to take root. Kris Filipiuk is leading the program design and developing the methodology.
The "Art of Building Communities" isn't about management or logistics; it is an architectural approach to the invisible structures that hold us together. We invite you to view community building as a craft a delicate balance of intention, space, and human need. The program is based on 9 aspects model.
Our Core Philosophy
At the backbone of this initiative and the resulting handbook is a fundamental shift in perspective: viewing a community as a space where specific human needs are either being met or neglected. Understanding community dynamics requires looking past visible actions, projects, and events to explore the deeper, invisible layer of why something succeeds or struggles.
"Instead of asking 'what’s wrong?' we ask 'what need is not being met?'"
Project Leadership
The program was co-developed with Toni Lyubenova, the director of the Creatosphere association. Toni is an experienced nonformal education trainer and a passionate advocate for empathy and Marshall Rosenberg's nonviolent communication.