This paper examines how art festivals and educational programs in Varna, Bulgaria, function as infrastructures of engagement, connecting cultural institutions, non-profit organisations, schools, universities, community centres, and the public through co-creation, participatory humanities, and creative practice. Central to this ecosystem is the Public Library, which acts as a coordinator, facilitator, and anchor institution, ensuring collaboration across sectors, sustaining initiatives, and fostering long-term civic engagement.

The paper focuses on two complementary cases coordinated by the Public Library. The first, Literary Spotlight, is an interdisciplinary festival centred on literature, including visual arts (illustration), cinema, and stage arts, which actively engages local communities, artists, and institutions. The second case, STEAM Education for Gen Z Leaders of the Future, is an educational program for young audiences that combines cultural heritage, architecture, urban planning, and archaeology, adapted to the local context. Both initiatives rely on the Public Library to connect stakeholders, design participatory activities, and create inclusive and engaging experiences in both physical and digital spaces.

These cases illustrate three key dimensions of festivals and educational programs as infrastructural actors. First, they provide spaces for co-creation, enabling participants to contribute actively to cultural content and knowledge production. Second, they serve as laboratories for multi-stakeholder engagement, with the Public Library coordinating collaboration among schools, universities, cultural institutions, non-profits, and community centres, thereby fostering networks of participation and dialogue. Third, they contribute to urban revitalisation and social cohesion, transforming public spaces into vibrant hubs for creativity, learning, and civic interaction.

The paper also addresses challenges in sustaining such infrastructures, including temporary funding, stakeholder coordination, and the need for long-term institutional support. It argues that initiatives like Literary Spotlight and STEAM Education require participatory design principles, ethical governance frameworks, and resilient infrastructure to remain inclusive, socially responsive, and sustainable.

By framing art festivals and educational programs as critical infrastructures for engagement, the paper situates co-creation, participatory arts, and community involvement at the heart of engaged scholarship in the digital arts and humanities. The Public Library emerges as a key infrastructural actor, not merely a venue, but a coordinator, connector, and custodian of knowledge, culture, and civic participation.

This study demonstrates how hybrid cultural and educational infrastructures, coordinated by anchor institutions such as the Public Library, can foster collaboration, empower communities, engage youth, and enhance urban life. The examples from Varna illustrate a model for sustainable, socially embedded, and participatory infrastructures that produce cultural, educational, and civic value for society.