Throughout the year, Kiev offers its visitors a rich variety of festivals and art events that make cultural life of the capital more vivid than ever and expand the choice of things to do. However, three cultural events out of plenty of festivals that feature pop-up food, craft arts, folk celebrations and fashion markets are worth highlighting.
ART-KYIV Contemporary
Photo: ART KYIV Contemporary Poster
ART KYIV Contemporary One is one of the most important for the development of Ukrainian contemporary art annual event in Kiev. It made its way from being a commercial art fair to becoming an Art Projects Forum that demonstrates current processes that take part in transformation of Ukrainian modern art scene. Being a space for artistic communication, discussions, researches and exchange, it indicates, highlights and forecasts dominant tendencies and themes in creative fields. ART KYIV Contemporary represents the most outstanding artworks of the year along with pieces from famous Ukrainian artists, provided by private collectors for the exhibition. The visual part of the Forum is complemented with rich program of the discussion panel, dedicated to the key topics and processes occurring at the time.
When: September – October (exact dates are the subject for confirmation each year)
Where: National Art and Culture Museum Complex Mystetskyi Arsenal
Read: Mystetskyi Arsenal: National Art and Culture Museum in Kiev
GOGOLFEST
Photo: GOGOLFEST
However, if one seeks for less formal and institutionalized experience in contemporary art, GOGOLFEST isthe number one event to visit. It is the biggest international multidisciplinary festival of contemporary art in Ukraine. During twelve days, the visitors are offered to enjoy the full range of artistic disciplines: visual arts, theater, music, cinema, fashion creativity, literature, dance, performance and many more with numerous activities for children and educational programs. The spice of GOGOLFEST lays in its residency program that fosters international collaboration and enriches festival’s timetable with unique shows and performances, created specifically on the occasion. GOGOLFEST is dedicated to improve the quality of cultural life in Kiev, creating better context for further growth and development of creative sector in Ukraine and promoting the ideas of cultural tolerance. Those who appreciate non-mainstream and more independent art, are open for new experiences having a fancy for unconventional forms of artistic expression and creativity should not miss the festival.
Kyiv is said to be the city of contrasts. The fact that novelty and modernity get along so well with historic sites and aged buildings of the center proves this widely spread opinion. Indeed, city’s charm is hidden in its controversies. So do not hesitate to explore Kyiv’s contemporary scene while still inhaling the scent of history.
When: September – October (exact dates are the subject for confirmation each year)
Where: Art-Zavod PLATFORMA
Read: The Underground Nightlife: Kiev Electronic Music Scene
Molodist
Photo: Molodist Poster
Molodist is one of the greatest specialized cinema events in Ukraine and Eastern Europe, according to the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF). Film Festival was established in 1970 as a two-day viewing of students’ short films of the Kiev State Theatrical Art Institute. Since then, local initiative gained international popularity: since the 1980s Ukrainians have seen the works of directors-debutants from Bulgaria, Georgia, Armenia and Russia, the Baltic States, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Germany. Ыuch famous directors as Fred Kelemen, Tom Tykwer, Francois Ozon, Andras Monori, Alexey Balabanov, Denis Yevstigneyev, Stephen Daldry made their first steps in big cinematography with Molodist. The festival participants were later awarded with ‘Golden Palm’ (Bruno Dumont) and ‘Oscar’ (Alain Berliner).
Now Molodist is the only film festival in Ukraine, which has been ranked by FIAPF since 1991. It is a priority platform in the region for presenting the latest and the most up cine products and covers the most high-profile events of modern cinema: both mainstream and experimental.
The main objective of the festival is to promote young professional cinema. According to the forty-years tradition, competitive program represents professional and amateur movies of debutants. The main sections of the festival are: student films, the first short film (fiction, animation, documentary) and the first feature film. Geography of contest entries includes countries from almost all continents. Molodist always seeks and finds, and thus, provides an opportunity for young talents to find their place in modern cinematography. The novelty and the ‘fresh’ spirit of the festival leave an unforgettable impression.
When: October (exact dates are the subject for confirmation each year)
Where: different locations in Kiev (mostly Cultural Center ‘Kyiv Cinema’ and ‘Kinopnorama’)
