Category: News

We have started our international mobility in Georgia as part of the Culture Moves Europe programme!

Yesterday, the first working meeting of the “26 Days. A World Without War” project team took place. It is an international theatre initiative bringing together artists from Ukraine, Georgia, Germany, and other countries. We are currently in discussions with additional partners and hope the project will continue to grow.

Over the next ten days, we will get to know the Georgian team, hold a series of working meetings, visit potential venues for the premiere and artistic events, finalize the artistic concept of the project, distribute responsibilities among the partners, and coordinate the production plan and the next stages of preparation for the international premiere.

For us, this journey is about trust, collaboration, cultural dialogue, and a shared search for an artistic language that helps us speak about war, memory, and recovery.

We sincerely thank the Culture for Democracy team for their warm welcome, openness, and willingness to create together.

Special thanks to Anna Ryaboshenko for her professional support, care, belief in the project, and the incredible work that has made this international collaboration possible.

 

 

Kazkosvit  in Lavra — another day filled with warmth, creativity, and Ukrainian magic!

On November 1, the halls of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra were once again filled with a special atmosphere — children’s laughter, inspiration, and the magic of the spoken word.
This time, the young participants began with a creative workshop led by artist Lesia Maksaieva, where they crafted ethno-style bracelets inspired by traditional Ukrainian ornaments, colors, and symbols. Each bracelet became not only a beautiful accessory but also a sign of love for Ukrainian culture. Working with threads, beads, and patterns brought true joy, developing imagination, fine motor skills, and a sense of beauty.

After the creative part, the children immersed themselves in the enchanted world of Ukrainian folk tales, read by actress of theatre and film Olha Sobko. Her heartfelt voice, warmth, and artistry filled the space with kindness, wisdom, and the spirit of Ukrainian storytelling. The tales came to life before the audience’s eyes, becoming a bridge between past and present, between tradition and childhood wonder.

Every meeting within the project “Fairy Tale World in Lavra” is more than an event — it is a journey into imagination, culture, and goodness. Here, stories come alive, and art becomes a natural part of children’s growth and inspiration.

📖 Author and producer of the project — Olha Sobko
🎭 Director — Valeriia Demchenko
🎨 Artist — Lesia Maksaieva

We sincerely thank the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve and its administration for their support and cooperation. Thanks to you, this place has become a home for “Fairy Tale World” — a space where stories come alive and children discover the beauty of Ukrainian culture.

New meetings and magical stories await ahead — stay tuned for the next chapter of Fairy Tale World in Lavra!

The exhibition of contemporary Ukrainian symbolic photography dedicated to Ukraine’s Independence Day has opened at the S. P. Korolyov National Museum of Cosmonautics.
This photographic art project is dedicated to the Ukrainian defenders and to all Ukrainians who are fighting for independence — to those who protect our country today, as well as to the inner and outer beauty of our people and their unbreakable will for freedom.

Our wonderful actresses Alla Binieieva and Anastasiia Tarkanii performed at the official opening ceremony.

The organizers of the event are the Creative Collective “Under the Angel’s Wing”, the S. P. Korolyov National Museum of Cosmonautics, and the art association Kyivphotos-Hall 2012 with the support of the National Union of Photographic Artists of Ukraine.

The coordinator of the photo exhibition is Valerii Leshchynskyi,
Creative/Art Director of Kyivphotos-Hall 2012.
The coordinator of the general exposition is Daryna Voloshchuk, S. P. Korolyov National Museum of Cosmonautics.

The exhibition presents works by Oksana Chorna, Oleh Andros, Serhii Mykhalchuk, Andrii Dubchak, Borys Bukhman, Andrii Telibaiev, Valerii Leshchynskyi, Mykola Korobskyi, Nelli Spirina, Mariia Maslova, Tetiana Fomenko, Anatolii Dzhyhyr, Valerii Khimich, Tetiana Charei, Viktoriia Ruben, Svitlana Zadorovska, Tetiana Bondarenko, Anastasiia Talpa, Olena Tsoma, Maksym Kobets, and Dmytro Semenovskyi.

The exhibition will run from August 15 to September 15, 2025.

The Lavra Garden always warmly welcomes its guests, offering them truly special events!

As part of the Kazkosvit in the Lavra project, on August 9 the garden was filled with heartwarming poetic stories that opened up to young listeners a world of gentle strength, wit, and boundless imagination.

Actress Alla Binieieva and Anastasiia Lemeshko, a third-year student at Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design, from the workshop of People’s Artist of Ukraine Lev Somov, brought to life the fairy tales of Ivan Nehoda, Nataliia Zabila, and Halyna Kruk. Their inspired performances created a unique atmosphere of sincerity and warmth for children and their parents.

As a keepsake of this magical event, the participants created eco tote bags with prints of real plants under the guidance of artisan Lesia Maksaieva — each bag became a one-of-a-kind creation of children’s imagination and love for nature.

The Kazkosvit in the Lavra project is implemented by the NGO “Holosy” in cooperation with the National Reserve “Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra”.
Project author: Olha Sobko.

The Ukrainian fairy tale will surely be heard again in the Lavra Garden! Follow our announcements and come to create your own magical stories with us.

On 27 July 2025, the Ukrainian premiere of the powerful theatrical production “Tuman” took place in Kyiv, on the stage of the Dovzhenko Centre — a stage project based on real testimonies from the war.
“Tuman” is not merely a theatrical work; it is a living chronicle of modern Ukraine, composed of letters, interviews, monologues, and confessions of people whose lives have been irreversibly changed by the war.

The production has already gained international recognition — after a striking premiere in Berlin that moved the European audience to tears, “Tuman” was presented to Ukrainian viewers for the first time.

The performance features the names of cities that have become symbols of resistance and pain — Kyiv, Odesa, Kherson, Kharkiv, Bakhchysarai, Olenivka, Kolomyia, Nova Kakhovka, Bucha… They appear both as scars and as beacons, guiding through the darkness towards the light.

Format and Creative Team

“Tuman” is staged in the genre of multimedia pseudo-documentary theatre, where artistic interpretation is intertwined with documentary truth.

Director — Valeria Demchenko
Producer — Olha Sobko
Authors of the texts — Nadiia Sukhorukova, Khachatur Vasilyan, Tetiana Fedorenko, Lev Somov, Valeria Demchenko, Olha Sobko
Choreography — Kateryna Pavlova
Cast — People’s Artist of Ukraine Lev Somov, Ruslan Miroshnychenko, Olha Sobko, Dmytro Korostylov, Mykyta Marchenko, Yurii Onopriiko, Anastasiia Tarkanii, Les Kacion, Alla Binieieva

In dark times, a fairy tale helps preserve the inner light.
With this in mind, the first gathering of the new cultural project “Kazkosvit in the Lavra” took place at the National Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra Reserve — a series of live fairy tale readings for children.
The event welcomed children of servicemen and displaced families currently living in Kyiv.

In the cozy setting of the Metropolitan Garden, the children listened to “King Crybaby and Laughterman” by Vasyl Symonenko — a bright, witty, and wise story about how laughter and kindness can transform even the darkest world.
The tale was read by Poltava-based actress Olha Cherniavska, who skillfully and vividly guided young listeners through the magical adventures of Laughterman.

Before the reading, the children took part in a creative workshop where they made festive paper crowns — led by artists Lesia Maksaieva and Aliona Strekanova — allowing each child to feel like a prince or princess in their own story.

At the opening, Acting Director General of the Reserve Svitlana Kotliarevska wished the children a joyful experience and reminded them that light should prevail not only in fairy tales but in real life as well — bringing more joy and carefree moments.

All participants received gifts from the organization Ukraine for Christ, enjoyed refreshments, and spent time in a warm, magical atmosphere where storytelling, imagination, and sincere emotions created a little miracle.

The “Kazkosvit in the Lavra” project is a collaboration between the National Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra Reserve and the NGO “Voices”, founded by Olga Sobko. Its goal is not only to popularize Ukrainian folk and literary fairy tales but also to elevate live artistic reading to the level of a cultural and spiritual experience.

The initiative is supported by the UA Military Chaplaincy Service.

More gatherings are already being prepared — stay tuned for announcements.
The fairy tale continues!