The second Kontenta studio from Cultural Platform Zakarpattya NGO and UNICEF Ukraine arrives in Chernihiv oblast — this time, in Nizhyn
Cultural Platform Zakarpattya returns to Chernihiv oblast to install one more Kontenta music studio together with the Nizhyn City Youth Center. During the opening, youth workers and music school personnel attended a workshop explaining how to use the technical setup of the studio, which will ensure a smooth creative process for the youth.
Kontenta is a free multifunctional audiovisual studio created to support the youth in creative industries. It gives young people the opportunity to work individually, conduct group classes and lectures, record vocals and musical instruments, and shoot video blogs as well as podcasts.
The youth attended a sound design workshop led by Artem Nazarenko, a Ukrainian musician and beatboxer, to explore the nature of sound and try to find unusual solutions for their creative task — to record a whole track together during the event.
On top of that, Yana Polupanova, Head of Communications at Cultural Platform Zakarpattya NGO, had a conversation with activist and blogger Valeria Shashenok in the Kontenta podcast. They discussed creativity during the war and the opportunities posed to the youth by social media, modern-day tech, and the knowledge of English.
In general, Kontena can be set up in two formats: as a full-sized mobile studio or as an integration of the technical setup into the already-existing youth centers. Nizhyn Kontenta follows the second scenario, and now Kontenta’s equipment is a part of the Nizhyn Music School, where the youth can now create music, master tracks, and make content during the school’s working hours.
“Kontenta is an opportunity for young people not only to fulfill their creative potential but also to influence the way Ukrainian culture develops. National culture is important; it tells the world about our identity. Today, the future of Ukrainian music, blogging, and content-making is taking shape in Chernihiv Oblast,” says Yevhen Filatov, composer and musician (The Maneken), who joined the opening event.
In Kontenta, teenagers and young people will be able to exercise their right to self-expression, develop their personal projects, and explore Ukrainian musical traditions. The classes held in the studio establish mutual emotional support, increase the youth’s social cohesion, and generally improve their mental health levels through collaborative creation.
Kontenta operates through the social franchise model. Cultural Platform Zakarpattya NGO assists youth centers in setting up and launching studios, as well as mentoring and supporting their further activities.
The project is implemented by the Cultural Platform Zakarpattya NGO with the support of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Ukraine. In 2024, they plan to install 20 Kontenta studios in different communities across Ukraine.
Photo: Anja Lozinska–Korman
Anastasiya Mishustina
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