As part of the seventh annual Bouquet Kyiv Stage high art festival, Cultural Platform Zakarpattya NGO organized the first Music Lab youth stage, held a summer intensive for the “KONTENTA” audiovisual studies project, and explored the synthesis and interaction of contemporary electroacoustic textures and sound structures on Stage 13, in collaboration with the Pavilion of Culture.
Partnership With Bouquet Kyiv Stage: Introducing Talented Youth From Different Communities In Ukraine
Bouquet Kyiv Stage is the seventh annual interdisciplinary non-profit and socially oriented festival of high art organized by Dom Master Class cultural center. It traditionally takes place on the territory of the National Reserve ‘Sophia of Kyiv’. This year’s festival united Ukrainian visual art, music, theater, and cinema under the slogan “From the Syan to the Don” emphasizing unity as the central theme for 2024. Artists from Kharkiv, Odesa, Kherson, Mariupol, and Crimea came together in the capital to proclaim a manifesto of resilience in the face of irreversible change.
“The theme of unity permeates every day and every event of the festival. Today, our unity—with each other, with the democratic world, and on the front lines, and in the rear—is crucial for realizing the cherished wish of every Ukrainian: victory,”
note the organizers of Bouquet Kyiv Stage.
For 2024, Ukraine’s budget allocates UAH 10.2 billion for culture and media, an increase from the previous year. However, the distribution of these funds does not adequately meet society’s needs in the context of information warfare. There is a lack of support for historical cultural heritage and for creating new cultural products that can effectively represent the Ukrainian voice internationally. During the ‘Cultural Diplomacy: Ways of Development’ panel discussion at the festival on August 17, a key idea emerged: Ukrainians, however diverse, should first understand themselves to find a common ground for reflecting on their identity.
It is noteworthy that this high art festival has not received any state funding for seven years and relies on the patronage of Yevhen Utkin.
Over the past two years, Dom Master Class has organized several significant cultural events abroad.
Bouquet Kyiv Stage 2022 In Oxford. The theme of the BKS 2022 festival in Oxford was ‘Gratitude from UA to the UK’. Some of the festival participants were the Orchestra of St John’s, Apollo5, KyivChamber Choir, Ukrainian composer Valentyn Sylvestrov, and Nelia Kukovalska, director of the National Reserve ‘Sophia of Kyiv’. Taking place from September 28 to October 2, the festival opened the first season of Ukrainian Culture Weeks 2022 at various venues in Oxford, including the Sheldonian Theatre, Christ Church Cathedral, and the Museum of Natural History. The program featured music, exhibitions, films, and public talks. All proceeds from ticket sales were directed toward the reconstruction and humanitarian needs of Ukraine’s destroyed cities.
The War Fragments Museum Exhibition. On March 4, 2023, the War Fragments Museum exhibition was held at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) headquarters in London. The exhibition featured artifacts collected by the museum’s team during the russian full-scale invasion, encased in transparent cubes. The 20 cubes represented 20 poignant war stories experienced by Ukrainians in the early months of russian aggression. Previously, Dom Master Class collaborated with the EBRD to present the ‘War’ exhibition by Ukrainian photo-documentary filmmaker Oleksandr Hliadielov, showcasing photographs taken from March to October 2022 in cities devastated by russian occupiers, including Bucha, Irpin, Borodianka, Moshchun, Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, and Kherson.
‘Culture vs War: Antytila’ Cultural Evening. On May 22, 2024, the Electric Cinema in Notting Hill, one of the oldest operating cinemas in the UK, hosted a screening of a short documentary dedicated to the musicians of Antytila. The evening featured the ‘Culture vs War’ screening (a series of short films about Ukrainian artists who defend their country and resist the aggressor with dignity), a conversation with band members, an acoustic performance by Antytila, and an exhibition from The War Fragments Museum.
Kyiv Art Sessions: A Festival Of Ukrainian Art. From June 28 to 30, 2024, the legendary Old Sessions House in London hosted the Kyiv Art Sessions, featuring 15 events, including 4 exhibitions, 4 concerts of Ukrainian music (classical, folk, and electronic), 2 screenings of Ukrainian documentaries, 3 panel discussions, and 2 presentations of art projects.
The main events of Bouquet Kyiv Stage 2024 festival were:
- ‘Art is the Highest Form of Hope’ art exhibition, featuring more than 60 works by 23 artists from Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa, Mykolaiv, and Dnipro;
- music by Ukrainian composers performed by the ‘Renaissance’ Mariupol Chamber Orchestra;
- premiere works by Victoria Polyova performed by the ‘Kyiv Soloists’ National Chamber Ensemble (conducted by Volodymyr Sirenko);
- the premiere of the ‘Yaroslav and Ingigerda: A Life Story-A Love Story’ musical performance based on the life story of Kyivan Prince Yaroslav the Wise and Swedish Princess Ingigerda. Music by Maksym Kolomiets;
- CinemaBouquet: premiere screenings of Ukrainian films;
- ‘My Steppe Origins’ program by Artistka Chuprynenko, a mentor of Cultural Platform programs;
- panel discussions: ‘Cultural Genocide’, ‘Development Of Cultural Diplomacy’, ‘Crimea: Political and Cultural Necessity’.
This year, Cultural Platform became a partner of the festival. The topic of resilience was set in the context of young people as the leaders who will shape the future of this country and should be heard and visible in the dialogue about our shared future.
Aligned with the Decree of the President of Ukraine on the National Youth Strategy until 2030 (Strategy of 12.03.2021 No. 94/2021), our civil society organization promotes creative industries among Ukrainian youth through its ‘Spilno Camp,’ ‘Spilno Camp. Communities,’ and ‘KONTENTA’ projects. Over the past two and a half years, more than 35,000 participants from over 50 communities have fostered social cohesion through creativity, collaboration, and the development of new skills for active civic engagement. Most importantly, they demonstrate their mental resilience in the face of uncertainty, continuing to create artifacts of their presence and transforming their emotions into art.
From left to right: Yevhen Utkin, Nelia Kukovalska (director of the National Reserve ‘Sophia of Kyiv’), Iryna Budanska (founder of Dom Master Class and co-founder of the Kyiv Bouquet Stage festival), Olha Blazhiievska (festival coordinator), Andrii Rizol (Head of the Association ‘Watch Ukrainian—create your own Future!’), Tetiana Savchenko (founder and director of the Triptych Art Kyiv gallery), Yevhen Zabarylo (chairman of the board of the Cultural Platform Zakarpattya NGO) at a press conference dedicated to the opening of the Bouquet Kyiv Stage 2024 festival
Music Lab, the first youth audiovisual art stage created by Cultural Platform and designed by FORMA architectural bureau, showcased the sound of Ukraine’s new generation at the Bouquet Kyiv Stage. Our civil society organization prepared a series of open events based on the KONTENTA audiovisual studio, including:
- music jam by the Kyiv-based FUSION community,
- free movement practice with Anatolii Sachivko,
- two MuzyKuvannia events: with Yaryna Kvasnii and Artem Nazarenko (Uanobody) and Olenka Karas (Tonka band) and Artem Nazarenko.
As mentors for the Cultural Platform creative programs, these artists work with youth in communities across Ukraine — from Uzhhorod to Kharkiv, from Mykolaiv to Chernihiv — and share their thoughts on the transformative potential of art for the harmonious development of the individual.
Music Lab, the first youth audiovisual art stage in the Metropolitan Garden on the territory of the National Reserve ‘Sophia of Kyiv,’ during the FUSION jam
The voice of youth on the Music Lab stage, expressed through co-creation (musical or visual), bridges the gap between the past—Ukrainian cultural heritage rooted in a thousand-year history—and the future that young people will shape with their values, skills, and knowledge. One highlight of the stage was MuzyKuvannia, a music workshop developed by Cultural Platform NGO that explores Ukrainian cultural identity by learning and modernizing folk songs through sound design and collaborative decision-making. This practice fosters social cohesion among youth by deepening their understanding of history and defining their shared future.
During MuzyKuvannia with Olenka Karas, participants reflected on their past from a new perspective, contributing their interpretations of “safe space» to the new track ‘Dichotomy’ by TONKA band. This song, dedicated to the singer’s childhood in Crimea and the painful loss of home, served as a foundation for a new verse. Participants added their own lyrics about personal safety markers, transforming the song into a collective expression of individual experiences and giving it a universal meaning.
Olenka Karas, event mentor, shares:
“Each MuzyKuvannia practice is unique: it’s about being present in the moment, which makes every session different, yet singing remains our common thread. Singing connects us to our past, present, and future.
I am grateful to the universe and the people who made this practice possible. I don’t view ‘Dichotomy’ as just my story; it reflects a collective trauma that can be painful to confront. However, through music, we can acknowledge, accept, and navigate this trauma, leading to a form of collective healing. Singing possesses this transformative power. For me, it was an incredible human experience—painful and tearful, yet cathartic. We all found purification through this journey.
I am truly glad to share my philosophy of sound in such practices; it is priceless.”
Events like the Bouquet Kyiv Stage showcase the symbolic power of art to unite people and inspire reflection on beauty, goodness, and ethics. They remind us that, during difficult times, we are not alone in our journeys; we move forward together with others. This shared experience makes it easier to navigate challenges, especially when it’s grounded in a strong sense of self-awareness.
KONTENTA Summer Intensive Workshop: A First Point Of Interaction For Youth Centers Representatives
This year, the festival embraced the theme of resilience, highlighting the long-term impact of empowering talented young people from various communities. This was evident in the recognition of the most active members of the “KONTENTA” audiovisual studies project, who participated in the educational and cultural program of Bouquet Kyiv Stage.
During the festival, the first educational and cultural intensive workshop was held for the young people from the centers of 15 already-established studios. Bouquet Kyiv Stage not only facilitated internal training but also introduced participants to unique artistic events in the heart of the capital. Additionally, it provided an emotional and intellectual experience, encouraging them to explore deeper meanings and perspectives.
Map of 15 KONTENTA centers operating as of August 2024
Representatives of 10 different Ukrainian communities joined the intensive: Chernihiv, Pereyaslav, Valky, Kehychivka, Kamianske, Kropyvnytskyi, Poltava, Sambir, Podilsk, and Chornomorsk. From the very first KONTENTA studio, which has been operating in Chernihiv since January 2024, to Chornomorsk, where KONTENTA has been operating for just a week, everyone managed to share their experiences and engage in a dialogue about the prospects for the project and the search for common ground to unite the young people across all studios.
During the four-day workshop (August 15–18), participants attended 15 program events: 7 internal training sessions and 8 festival events. It was essential for Cultural Platform to foster a diverse range of interactions, illustrating that the project goes beyond merely establishing recording studios in youth centers. Instead, it emphasizes the multitude of meanings that can emerge when the project is actively implemented.
Workshop events featured:
- ‘For the Sake Of the Future’ opening concert by the ‘Dzvinochok’ Boys and Young Men’s Choir (artistic director Ruben Tolmachov) and the ‘Vohnyk’ Girls’ Choir (artistic director Olena Solovei);
- Conversation Under the Ash Tree (Yevhen Utkin, Oleksandr Filonenko, Heorhii Kovalenko, Serhii Koshman);
- Meet and Greet (Yana Polupanova);
- KONTENTA: Digital Infrastructure For the Resilience Of the Younger Generation (Yevhen Zabarylo);
- Social Franchise: Introduction To the Topic (Maryna Mykhailenko);
- Sound Engineering: Introduction To the Profession (Mykyta Tarletskyi);
- Music Jam (FUSION);
- Sound Mastering: ABLETON (Artem Nazarenko);
- Practice Of Free Movement (Anatolii Sachivko);
- Cultural Diplomacy: Ways Of Development (Victoriia Lialina-Boiko, Oles Sanin, Akhtem Seitablaiev, Andrii Rizol, Pavlo Moroz, Yevhen Utkin);
- MuzyKuvannia (Yaryna Kvasnii and Artem Nazarenko)
- Community Building: Event Design, Communications (Yana Polupanova);
- Reflections: Experience and Changes (Yana Polupanova);
- MuzyKuvannia (Olenka Karas and Artem Nazarenko)
The summer intensive workshop not only facilitated networking among youth workers from across the country but also highlighted the theme of unity, aligning with the project’s main goal: fostering social cohesion among youth through a digital infrastructure that promotes mental resilience in the new generation. After receiving training in community building, sound mastering, and sound engineering, participants will be better equipped to implement projects in their communities and engage more teenagers and young people in the studios.
Anastasiia Mincheva, a participant in the intensive workshop and representative of KONTENTA 15 at VibeHUB, Chornomorsk, notes:
“Participation in the summer intensive workshop helped me to significantly expand my vision of audiovisual technologies. I have gained both theoretical and practical skills with KONTENTA that I plan to apply in our community. In addition, the variety of approaches and creative solutions used during the workshop inspired me to generate new ideas for our youth space.
The exchange of experiences with other youth spaces was invaluable. We were able not only to share our successes and challenges but also to learn from each other. The common space created a special atmosphere of trust and support where everyone could freely express their thoughts and receive feedback. I saw how much effort is put into creating quality content and developing skills among youth.
The Cultural Platform not only opens up new avenues for creativity, but also helps build strong connections between communities. I feel that the “KONTENTA” project can bring real change and strengthen the role of youth spaces in society.”
Anastasiia with other participants of the workshop at the FUSION Jam
This is just the first step in strengthening ties between all KONTENTA studios. Once all 20 studios are established, Cultural Platform NGO plans to launch an online educational course for participants and implement further cooperation based on a social franchise model. Sustainable mutual support is essential for creating meaningful changes in communities and uniting young people into resilient social groups of active citizens for the future.
The project is implemented by the Cultural Platform Zakarpattya NGO with the support of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Ukraine.
Stage 13: Interdisciplinary Dialogue On the Nature Of Sound and Musical Landscapes
The third aspect of Cultural Platform’s activities at Bouquet Kyiv Stage was Stage 13, a two-day series of contemporary electroacoustic concerts organized in collaboration with the Pavilion of Culture. This initiative explores sound texture and fosters an interdisciplinary dialogue aimed at transforming school music lessons and educational programs as part of the “KONTENTA” project, which focuses on developing a digital infrastructure for audiovisual studies.
The stage became a free opportunity to hear complex academic multi-channel electronics live: on August 17, Alla Zahaikevych, Ujif_Notfound, Andrii Barsov, and Olha Atamanchuk played here, and on August 18, the program included performances by Petro Tovstuha, Brainhack Musixbox Trio, and Andrii Bohatyrov.
In addition to the music program, the project aims to create new opportunities for integrating artistic practices into youth education, fostering creativity and critical thinking in today’s digital environment.
Stage 13 provided a deep exploration of the potential of the “KONTENTA” audiovisual studies program for advancing academic electronics and prompted a reconsideration of how music theory is taught.
Cultural Platform is establishing studios in youth centers across the country, enabling young people to express their feelings, experiences, and emotions using modern music equipment. They will also be able to create their own content with licensed software and the skills learned in the studios.
In summary, the initiatives of Cultural Platform at this year’s Bouquet Kyiv Stage have significantly broadened the scope of the “KONTENTA” project. This collaboration has sparked crucial transformations that will support the sustainable development of audiovisual studies in Ukraine.
Photo Anna Lozinska, Andrii Olifirenko, Alina Harmash, Sasha Kurmaz
Anastasiya Mishustina
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