Themes by tag: culture

Oleksandr Tkachuk, a former counterintelligence officer with the Security Service of Ukraine, has a compelling tale. Since 2014, amidst russia’s initial assault on Ukraine, Tkachuk dedicated himself to service in the war-torn regions. However, after four years, he made the decision to depart from his government role, going into the civilian sector. Tkachuk found himself immersed in the realm of IT, while his wife, Yana, pursued a career as a 3D designer.

As the full-blown invasion unfolded, the couple relocated their son to the western part of the country before returning to the capital to join the city’s defense efforts as volunteers. Following the expulsion of russian forces from the Kyiv region, Oleksandr and Yana embarked on a new venture: crafting ethnic clothing. With minimal savings, the pair resettled in Ivano-Frankivsk and launched their business from the ground up. Securing essential equipment required Oleksandr to seek assistance from the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation, where he successfully obtained a grant to kickstart their undertaking. Simultaneously, Yana also pursued a government grant to support their entrepreneurial aspirations.

Embroidered shirt production hit full stride in 2023. Since then, the couple has upgraded from their modest space to a larger facility and expanded with two stores in Kyiv and another in Lviv. Presently, the company boasts a staff of ten, which includes demobilized soldiers.

• culture
• Ivano-Frankivsk

American playwright Richard Nelson came to the capital’s Theater on Podil to support the Ukrainian theater and its fans. The director and screenwriter will work in Kyiv for over two months. During this time, he plans to create a play based on his own script with the actors of the Theater on Podil, hold master classes for Ukrainian artists, and learn more about Ukraine. His Ukrainian diary will be published in The Guardian.

Also, during his stay in Ukraine, the playwright will present his own play “Conversations in Tusculum”.

At the press conference on April 22, Richard Nelson will announce his master classes at the Theater on Podil and share his impressions of working in Ukraine during the war.

Participants:

• Richard Nelson, American playwright and director;
• Bohdan Beniuk, Artistic Director of the Kyiv Academic Drama Theater in Podil;
• Roman Halaimov, an actor of the Kyiv Academic Drama Theater in Podil, who plays the main role in Richard Nelson’s play;

All in person.

For reference: Richard Nelson is an American playwright, writer, screenwriter, director and teacher, winner of the Tony Awards and a number of other theater awards. His works include about 50 productions, 10 film scripts and radio plays. He staged some of the most famous plays in London (Royal Shakespeare Company), Paris (Theater du Soleil), New York (Playwrights Horizons, Old Globe, The Public Theater), Chicago (Goodman Theater).

• culture
• Kyiv

Ismail Kurt-Umer is a singer and member of the Song and Dance Ensemble of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In 2013 and 2014, Ismail studied at the capital conservatory. During the Revolution of Dignity, Ismail went to Crimea on vacation and saw with his own eyes how russia occupied the peninsula. After returning to Kyiv, Ismail decided to join the Armed Forces. Together with the Ensemble, the man often visited the military in the East of Ukraine, but after the start of the full-scale invasion, the concerts stopped, as it became dangerous for a large crowd of people to gather in one place.

Since then, the Ensemble has begun working on music videos congratulating the soldiers with various holidays to support the spirits and morale of the military. The Ensemble dedicated one of the videos to the Muslim holiday Eid al-Fitr: the musicians congratulated Muslims both in Ukraine and abroad. The clip was very positively received in Muslim countries, and Saudi Arabia even allocated USD 100 million for humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

Ismail believes that after Ukraine’s victory, the Ukrainian flag will fly over Crimea again, and there will be Crimean Tatar autonomy on the peninsula.

Journalists have the opportunity to talk with the serviceman in Kyiv.

• culture
• military
• Kyiv

Hailing from Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast in western Ukraine, the 11th grader delved into directing at the tender age of 10. His journey began when his grandmother sent him an old camera from overseas, and his older brother imparted basic shooting skills. Establishing his presence on YouTube, Oleksandr launched his own channel to showcase his creations, including his debut short film, “The Adventures of St. Nicholas,” a collaborative effort with fellow villagers

Driven by a desire to spotlight Ukrainian defenders, Oleksandr, and his team sought financial backing from city officials to produce their latest venture, “Decision Day.” The film chronicles the story of a volunteer confronting a foreign invasion, only to return home to defend his homeland. With funding secured, the teenage filmmaker and his crew embarked on an intensive month-long shooting schedule.

Following relentless dedication, Oleksandr orchestrated a successful screening of “Decision Day.” Despite the demands of school, the young filmmaker persists in balancing his academic pursuits with his cinematic endeavors.

• children
• culture
• Ivano-Frankivsk

The initiative, spearheaded by the philanthropic organization Cultural Forces of Ukraine, serves as a nexus for cultural and educational endeavors, catering to residents who endured the tumultuous Russian occupation. Within the House of Imagination, patrons can engage in a spectrum of activities fostering creativity and focus, including workshops and meditation sessions, with a primary focus on enriching the youth. “Our mission is twofold: to provide psychological support to those affected by the occupation and to promote Ukrainian culture. Today, we reaffirm our commitment to revitalizing Ukrainian arts, music, and culture,” stated Serhii Martyniuk, co-coordinator of the Cultural Forces of Ukraine Charity Foundation.

• casualties
• culture
• occupation
• psychological support
• Kharkiv

Ivan Shostak, who initially served in the 79th Air Assault Brigade during the Russian-Ukrainian war of 2015, returned to civilian life after his contract ended. 

However, when the all-out invasion escalated in 2022, he reenlisted and was injured, resulting in blindness during a mission in the Bakhmut sector. Following rehabilitation, Shostak immersed himself in pottery, mastering the craft within four months. He now produces clay items adorned with his personal logo and slogan, “Nobody but us,” which he markets through exhibitions and social media. Shostak aims to gather funds for specialized education and hopes to launch a massage parlor in his hometown of Vinnytsia.

• casualties
• culture
• military
• Vinnytsia

On April 4, media representatives and bloggers are invited to the pre-opening of Kostiantyn and Vlada Liberovs’ “Contact Line” exhibition in Kyiv. In particular, there will be an opportunity to ask photographers some questions and receive comments from the first guests of the exhibition: media persons, military personnel and volunteers.

“Contact Line” will open on April 5. The exhibition includes more than 150 documentary photos and videos taken over the past two years in front-line areas and the front lines themselves.

Since the start of the full-scale war, the couple has traveled to the hottest areas of the front, documenting the consequences of russian shelling and the work of the Ukrainian military. So, Kostiantyn spent many hours with the infantry at “the ground zero” and accompanied assault groups on their missions. Some of the photos presented at “Contact Line” exhibition include: “Shell Cemetery in Kharkiv,” “Battle for Bakhmut,” “Winter at the Front. Silver Forest,” “30 Hours at Ground Zero,” “Da Vinci’s Last Assault” and other war series photos. The second part of the exhibition will depict the reality of the civilian population with footage from Marinka, Bakhmut, Soledar, Kherson, Lysychansk, Bucha, Mykolaiv and other Ukrainian cities that suffered as a result of the russian invasion.

Entry to the exhibition requires a donation of UAH 100 or more, and visitors can purchase any work if they wish. Funds collected during the exhibition will be used to purchase 1,000 FPV drones for the military.

The event requires registration. 

• culture
• Kyiv

Valerii Dzeh, a Kharkiv native, initially made his mark as an educator in local kindergartens and development centers. However, his journey took a creative turn when he delved into the world of puppet theater, ultimately co-founding a troupe in his hometown. Their breakthrough came in 2021 with the staging of a Ukrainian-themed play rooted in mythology, sparking the theater to start turning a profit and compensating its actors.

But it was on February 24, 2022, that Valerii’s fate called him to a new stage. Amid the intense Russian bombardment of Kharkiv’s northern neighborhood Saltivka, his mission shifted to humanitarian aid, evacuating vulnerable residents, particularly those with disabilities. Alongside his wife, he traversed the perilous streets, delivering sustenance and medicines to those in need.

With the city liberated in late 2022, Valerii’s resolve intensified. He enlisted in the 59th OMPB as a combat medic and became a part of the Cultural Forces unit. Alongside fellow service members with artistic backgrounds, Dzeh embarked on a mission to bring morale-boosting puppet shows to the recently liberated Kharkiv and Kherson regions. Performing both behind the lines and on the front, Dzeh believes his work plays a crucial role in uplifting the emotional well-being of military personnel.

For reference: Valerii Dzeh stands firm on the front lines, ready to share his story with journalists, online or offline, upon arrangement.

• culture
• doctors
• military

In a bid to prevent amputations among Ukrainians injured in Russia’s aggression, the “Save the Limb” national initiative is teaming up with artists. On March 31, Kyiv will host the “Sorrow and Love” charity dinners, with entry granted upon donation.

The evening’s lineup boasts performances by renowned Ukrainian musicians, stand-up comedy by Ramil Yangulov, a DJ set by Bodrov, and a charity auction featuring a photo draw by war documentary filmmakers Konstiantyn and Vladyslava Liberov, aka Libkos.

Attendees will groove to tunes by artists like Dima Libra, GEED (Hidayat Seyidov), and INSHAYA, whose spouse serves in the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Headlining the event is HARNA, a talented multi-instrumentalist artist, Ukrainian musician, and former participant of “The Voice of Ukraine 11” and Eurovision 2020’s national selection.

All funds raised at the event will go towards surgeries for the wounded under the “Save the Limb” program of the Health of the Ukrainian People Foundation.

For context: “Save the Limb” stands as one of Ukraine’s premier programs, offering aid to war victims and funding costly limb-saving surgeries not covered by the state. Since its 2022 inception, the program has aided over a thousand Ukrainians.

• casualties
• culture
• doctors
• Kyiv

April 4th, showcasing the experiences of teenagers living through war. Produced by the savED Charitable Foundation in collaboration with the kinotonly filmmaking team, the documentary delves into the stories of teens from Kharkiv, Zaporizhia, Mykolaiv, Kakhovka, and Lviv, along with their mentors. In the film, these resilient teenagers share firsthand accounts of surviving a full-scale war and offer insights into their efforts toward Ukraine’s development and reconstruction. (Watch the trailer here). 

The documentary has already premiered in venues like London, Oxford, and Cambridge, with Kyiv being the next stop on April 4th.

Ukrainian artist and illustrator Nikita Titov has been enlisted by the savED Foundation to craft posters for the film, adding a visually captivating element to its promotion.

Attendees of the screening will have the unique opportunity to engage with the film’s protagonists and mentors, with Ukrainian actor, screenwriter, and host of the YouTube show ’20:23′ Yevhen Yanovych moderating a discussion after the screening.

Beyond its educational aims, ‘We. The Future’ also serves a charitable purpose. As it travels the globe, the film’s creators and subjects raise funds to support the revival of the Mariupol Lyceum, which was forced to relocate from the occupied city to Kyiv. Today, the Lyceum provides education to hundreds of children from the occupied territories. 

Event registration is required. 

• children
• culture
• reconstruction
• Kyiv