Themes by tag: culture

Artur Sadykov, a modeler from Nikopol, a frontline city in the Dnipro region, has been dedicated to his craft for 10 years. His recent diorama, “Congratulations, Bakhmut,” which captures the destruction of Bakhmut in the Donetsk region during the full-scale Russian invasion, has gained significant attention. 

Creating the diorama took Artur 10 months, making it one of his most complex pieces. He employed various materials, including prefabricated models, 3D-printed models, plastic, cardboard, wood veneer, polymers, gypsum, polystyrene foam, decorative vegetation, glue, varnish, and acrylic paints.

Artur’s collection features other war-themed works such as DAP (Donetsk Airport) Cyborgs, Morning Starts Not With Coffee, Irpin, and By Fire and Sword. 

For security reasons, Artur is only available for interviews via text through social media.

• culture

On June 28, renowned Georgian singer and UNBROKEN Center ambassador Nino Katamadze will perform on the center’s terrace in Lviv. Her performance aims to support the Unbroken Defenders undergoing treatment, prosthetics, and rehabilitation.

For reference: The UNBROKEN National Rehabilitation Center provides comprehensive medical care to military personnel and civilians, including adults and children, who have lost limbs. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, over 15,000 wounded Ukrainians, including 2,000 children, have received treatment at the center. The facility specializes in reconstructive surgery, orthopedics, and prosthetics.

• casualties
• culture
• Lviv

Anna Gin, a journalist and writer hailing from Kharkiv, has embarked on a remarkable endeavor—creating one-of-a-kind jewelry using local flowers and minute fragments of rockets and bombs.

This initiative, dubbed “Flowers from Unbreakable,” was born unexpectedly. While leading foreign journalists through Northern Saltivka—an area deeply scarred by russia’s full-scale invasion—Anna was captivated by the resilience of poppies amidst the devastation. Despite the looming danger of sirens and explosions, she couldn’t resist gathering these blooms, determined to preserve their beauty. Turning to online resources, Anna learned the art of working with epoxy resin, transforming her floral finds into exquisite pieces of jewelry.

In a bold move, Anna also began incorporating small shards of enemy missiles—gathered during walks with her dog amidst the wreckage of the Epicenter home improvement store demolished by occupants’ hands—into her creations, ensuring every piece carries a profound story of survival.

Through three charity auctions, Anna has already channeled proceeds to support a hospital in Kharkiv. 

For further insights, journalists can engage with Anna Gin in Kharkiv or online.

• culture
• volunteers
• women
• Kharkiv

Before the full-scale invasion, the couple Viktoriia and Bohdan Popov ran their own workshop in Sloviansk, Donetsk Oblast, where they worked together with their parents. The family kneaded clay, molded products, fired, polished, decorated, and painted them. 

At the outbreak of the full-blown war, the front line had emerged right next to Sloviansk, and enemy shells began to destroy the city. In April 2022, the Popovs evacuated to western Ukraine, returning only nine months later. At that time, their workshop was damaged by russian shelling, and after another explosion nearby, it became unsafe to stay in the building, so the couple had to find a new place to work. 

Today, in addition to ceramics, Viktoriia and Bohdan paint tubes from hand-held anti-tank grenade launchers and shell casings used by the military. The couple auction off war items to support a friend who worked as a teacher before the invasion and now assembles FPV drones for the army. 

The Popovs are ready to talk to journalists, both in Sloviansk and online.

• casualties
• culture

Folklorist Yaryna Sizyk, animation director Maria Ozirna, and the Oleksii Shovkunenko Kherson Art Museum have launched a project focused on restoring paintings seized by russians during the city’s occupation. Museum staff estimate that about ten thousand artworks were taken. The project’s goal is to recreate these stolen pieces.

The team has successfully reproduced Mykhailo Bryansky’s painting “Portrait of a Girl in an Embroidered Dress.” Yaryna and Maria spent a month preparing this first piece, which was not only repainted but also modernized and animated. Ukrainian model and singer Daria Astafieva helped bring the painting to life, transforming herself into the girl in an embroidered dress made from the stolen canvas. During the animation, they used a shirt embroidered by Inna Mykutska, a Kherson guide, during the occupation.

The project founders are now preparing for their next restoration and are in discussions with Ukrainian influencers. 

Yaryna Sizyk and Maria Ozirna are available for interviews with journalists in Kyiv.

• culture
• russian crimes
• Kherson
• Kyiv

Journalist accreditation for the Land of Dreams anniversary festival, set to take place in Kyiv from June 21 to 23, is now open. The festival will kick off on June 21 with the Kupailytsia rite, a traditional Kupala tree decorating ceremony, which attendees can participate in. Journalists will also have the opportunity to speak with the festival’s founder, Oleh Skrypka.

This year’s program features 15 thematic areas, 35 ethnic and folklore groups, a book fair, artisan alleys, a children’s playground, and Crimean Tatar and Japanese cultural spaces. New additions include a spiritual mystical stage and a poetry workshop.

The Land of Dreams International Ethno Festival, established in 2004, is Ukraine’s largest and oldest music festival. It aims to support the needs of children and the military. Oleh Skrypka’s Land of Dreams Charitable Foundation will host special meetings and activities.

Highlights include a zone for writing Letters to a Free Crimea, exhibitions on military personnel from Crimea, and a collection for the Crimea Special Forces. The event will also feature frontline poetry written and performed by soldiers. 

Accreditation is required. Journalists can access the detailed festival program and cover the event.

• culture
• Kyiv

On June 15, Kyiv will host the second “Protasiv Yar” festival in memory of Roman Ratushnyi, a civic activist and scout with the 93rd Brigade “Kholodnyi Yar.” The event will begin with a press briefing featuring the festival organizers.

Speakers:

– Svitlana Povaliaieva, writer, mother of Roman Ratushnyi;

– Sofia Cheliak, Executive Director of the Protasiv Yar Festival in memory of Roman Ratushnyi;

– Yulia Bartle, head of the NGO “Let’s Protect Protasiv Yar”;

– Myroslava Barchuk, journalist, TV presenter, Vice President of PEN Ukraine;

– Artur Kharytonov, president of the Liberal Democratic League of Ukraine;

– Tetyana Teren, executive director of PEN Ukraine;

– Hryhoriy Baran, Director of the Social Capital Program at the International Renaissance Foundation.

Moderator: Tetiana Vlasova.

Accreditation is required to attend.

The festival aims to continue its mission of promoting contemporary and traditional art, Ukrainian history, human rights initiatives, and honoring the legacy of Roman Ratushnyi. Inspired by Roman’s vision, the festival, held under the motto “Never Fear Anything,” has grown significantly and returns for a second year at Protasiv Yar. 

Journalists will have the chance to gain detailed insights into the festival’s program.

• culture
• Kyiv

On June 18, Kyiv will see the launch of classes for the “The Veterans’ Theater” pilot project. This initiative, spearheaded by the Public Relations Service of the Territorial Defense Forces Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (TRO Media) in collaboration with the Theater of Playwrights, aims to create an innovative rehabilitation system combining therapeutic effects and the creative potential of veterans.

The project seeks to use modern theater as a medium for rehabilitation and socialization, offering military personnel and their families a platform to discuss their challenges and needs with communities and audiences. It aims to build communication bridges and alleviate emotional stress.

As part of the program, organizers and a group of veterans will collaborate to create a play based on texts that reflect the life experiences, fears, and dreams of the military. Veterans will also participate in an educational program on contemporary theater and explore acting.

The program is estimated to run for two months, with a performance based on veterans’ texts scheduled for August 2024.

• culture
• Kyiv

On June 14, a meeting with the organizers of the National Selection for Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2024 will be held at Media Center Ukraine — Ukrinform in Kyiv. During the event, Suspilne will present a songwriter and a director who will work on this year’s selection. The event will be moderated by Tymur Miroshnychenko, Ukraine’s National Selection for Eurovision commentator and host.

At the event, Svitlana Tarabarova, music producer of the National Selection and

Oksana Skybinska, Head of Delegation for Ukraine at the Eurovision Song Contest, will tell you everything you need to know about the innovations and participation criteria for this year’s National Selection. The participants include: Tetiana Kovryga, Director of the GoGlobal Educational Foundation, Oksana Pysarieva, a psychologist at the Voices of Children Foundation.

Pre-registration is required.

For reference: Suspilne has simplified the criteria for participation in the National Selection to make it even more accessible for young performers: it is not necessary for them to write their own songs. To take part in the competition and win the opportunity to represent Ukraine on the big stage of Junior Eurovision Song Contest – 2024 in Madrid, Spain, it is enough to record two covers of popular songs and a video introduction.

At the same time, young songwriters still have the opportunity to submit their own song for consideration if they wish. However, this option does not affect their chances of passing to the next stage of selection.

Applications for participation in the National Selection are accepted up until July 3 through the form on the website junior.eurovision.ua

• children
• culture
• Kyiv

Before the full-scale invasion, Oleh Slyvar was a professional folk dancer in Lviv region. Oleh changed his life radically in the summer of 2022, when he decided to join the ranks of the National Guard of Ukraine. Together with his brothers in arms, Oleh fought in the Donetsk direction. During one of the assaults, the man received numerous shrapnel wounds. Due to shelling, it was not possible to evacuate the soldier immediately. Later, at the stabilization point, the man’s heart stopped, however, doctors managed to bring Oleh back to life. The soldier lost his leg, but thanks to rehabilitation at the medical center, he learnt to live with an electronic knee prosthesis. And recently he returned to the stage.

Oleh is ready to communicate with the media online or in person in Lviv.

• casualties
• culture
• military
• Lviv