“We need to promote Ukrainian culture, music, cinema, literature, and art,” says journalist Nataliya Gumenyuk, Journalist and curator of the 11th Arsenal Book festival of Kyiv, in an article. “Culture is a weapon, and it’s one of the ways Ukraine can win this war” she adds. Holding festivals inside the country but also bringing cultural events to international audiences helps raise awareness of Ukraine’s rich cultural heritage. This month, new programs have started in the framework of Creative Europe, events are taking place inside Ukraine, and Ukrainian arts events are hosted in different European countries.
The Marché du Film in Cannes, France unveiled a new “Ukraine in Focus” program highlighting recent Ukrainian films. The program, curated in partnership with the Ukrainian Institute, showcased recent award-winning films like “Bad Roads” by Natalya Vorozhbit and “Donbass” by Sergei Loznitsa. The Construction Festival, originally founded in Dnipro, Ukraine, is holding its first edition outside of the country this June in Dresden, Germany. The festival features Ukrainian electronic musicians who have been unable to perform in their home country due to the conflict. “We wanted to provide a platform for Ukrainian musicians to be heard because our culture is still not sufficiently represented in other countries,” organizers said.
May-June (ongoing)
Europe Day, an official symbol of the EU, is commemorated in honor of the Schuman Declaration issued on May 9, 1950. This year, Ukraine celebrates Europe Day for the first time as a candidate for EU membership and for the first time together with the European Union, even as the full-scale Russian war continues. The EU Delegation to Ukraine has planned numerous awareness-raising and communication activities to celebrate Europe Day across the country. These events will take place in schools, colleges, and universities, highlighting the EU's unwavering support for Ukraine during this challenging time.
Europe Day 2023: programme of activities from the EU Delegation to Ukraine | EEAS
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5-11 June
Luxembourg is hosting UA Days, a festival dedicated to Ukrainian culture, organized by the non-profit LUkraine. This event showcases the multifaceted aspects of Ukraine's cultural tapestry, including exhibitions, talks, fashion shows, cinema, and concerts at various venues. The iconic embroidered vyshyvankas, Taras Shevchenko's eloquent poetry, haunting bandura music, and world-renowned pysanky (Easter eggs) serve as symbols of national identity and unity for the Ukrainian people. The UA Days Festival features a variety of events that showcase the best of Ukrainian culture. Highlights include the "Extravaganza Show with Vasyl Popadiuk," the Mariya Prymachenko Art Exhibition, Ukrainian Vyshyvankas Defile, and a charity meet-up discussing the resilience and heritage of Ukrainian women.
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19 June
After a one-year hiatus due to the Russian invasion, the Construction Festival returns, providing a platform for Ukrainian sound artists to express themselves and increase the visibility of Ukrainian culture. This year, the festival takes place in Dresden, Germany. The Dresden edition of the Construction Festival features a residency program for Ukrainian and German artists, who will collaborate on a project to be presented at the festival. The event also includes artist talks, performances, and a film screening.
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22-25 June
The annual Arsenal International Book Festival in Kyiv, which was canceled in 2022 due to the conflict, has made a triumphant return in 2023. With over sixty events and participation from 150 authors, the festival serves as a symbol of cultural resistance in Ukraine. Despite the ongoing conflict, the return of public events demonstrates the nation's resilience and determination to preserve its culture. The festival supports the book industry and provides a platform for people to connect, share ideas, and engage in meaningful discussions.
Meanwhile, three new cultural programs funded by Creative Europe started in May. 3 consortia were chosen to implement actions that support Ukrainian artists and cultural organizations:
The ZMINA consortium is coordinated by the Izolyatsia organization based in Kyiv, in partnership with TransEurope Halles (from Sweden) and Malý Berlín, an independent cultural center based in Slovakia.
The Culture Helps consortium is coordinated by Insha Osvita, based in Kyiv with the Tandem Foundation from Germany. The project aims to support the training, mentoring, and peer learning for cultural professionals, as well as to provide support for mental health via the project.
The U-RE-HERIT consortium is coordinated by the Lithuanian Association of Architects in partnership with three organizations from Ukraine: the National Union of Architects, the Ro3kvit Urban coalition For Ukraine, and the NGO Architectural Education.
