During the presentation of the sixth KONTENTA studio in Kropyvnytskyi, the team of the Cultural Platform Zakarpattya NGO not only demonstrated the technical capabilities of the studio but also explained why it is important for Ukrainian youth and revealed its potential for the community
Integrated into the “Koma” youth center, “KONTENTA” audiovisual studies in Kropyvnytskyi are a working setting that gives young people the opportunity to conduct individual studio work, group classes, and lectures, record vocals and musical instruments, shoot video blogs and podcasts free of charge. What is more, such activities will contribute to improving the mental health of young people and adolescents.
— This project is about development and resilience, about ensuring that young people have the power to restore and rebuild the country, — says Kateryna Koltunova, volunteer, and Deputy Head of Kirovohrad OVA. — Such things make it possible to overcome inferiority and work professionally. This recording studio is very cool. I am grateful to the project for supporting the youth of Ukraine. They must stay with us, we must not lose them. Such platforms allow young people to feel needed.
“KONTENTA” does not pose the task of becoming a pop star or releasing a track. It is primarily a tool that will help teenagers and young people develop skills in the field of creative industries and learn more about themselves through creativity.
— Yes, the studio fully covers audiovisual needs. But it doesn’t entail aspiring to become a pop star—none of what we were once told by TV show formats, — explains Yevhen Zabarylo, Head of the Cultural Platform Zakarpattya NGO. — This is a russian format, this pop variety show. Ukrainian music now is the music that should not have any beats. It is somewhat close to ambient, something that helps a person to concentrate, to hear themselves, to find harmony with the world around them. Simply put, we are talking about musical and mental landscapes, we are talking about the scale of personality. These studies are created so that young people can be represented in the modern world. Now, that is usually expressed through gadgets and content. No matter how plastic it sounds, we all post something online and follow certain trends. But we do not notice that right now we are the main trend in the world. And neither do we notice that outside of the global processes, which we are all embedded into (war being the most complex one), there is a whole generation of living people who have close to no rights because they are teenagers or adolescents. So how could they become present in this world? What should they do? In our opinion, we suggest that these youth study the laws, primarily about youth policy, see what they can do and what they can claim, understand what the state offers to them, create youth organizations, raise funds, develop their community, and use their voices to tell the global world about their local community.
First Deputy Chairman of the Kirovohrad Regional Council Yurii Semenyuk is convinced that the opening of the new studio will be felt by all 49 communities of the region. After all, “KONTENTA” opens the possibility for creative work in several directions at once.
— The emergence of “KONTENTA” audiovisual studies is a story with a sequel. I am sure that not only music will be recorded here, but also various podcasts. This will directly give a creative incentive to the implementation of initiatives in our region, — stresses Yurii Semenyuk.
Podcasts are one of the formats that the Cultural Platform seeks to actively develop. In podcasts, young people can talk about absolutely everything.
— Anyone can come at any free time slot, having arranged it with the youth center management, to create their own podcasts. We will fuel this process with various technical, merchandising, and motivational bonuses for those who will actively participate in the creation of these podcasts. After all, right now talking is the most important thing, — Yevhen Zabarylo adds.
The “KONTENTA” audiovisual studies project works under the social franchise model. The Cultural Platform Zakarpattya NGO helps youth centers set up and launch the studios, as well as mentors and supports their further activities. By the end of 2024, they will have been installed in 20 communities across Ukraine.
— Next, we plan to connect these communities so that they get to know each other, — continues Yevhen Zabarylo, Head of the NGO. — The logic of this digital unity is that at the end of the year, we plan to launch the first online youth radio station where young people will be able to present their programs and have conversations with various KONTENTA studios in various regions. These technical possibilities that are being created are not for fun. At this moment in time, the main things are how we grow, what knowledge we get, and what subjectivity we endow ourselves with. First and foremost, that entails recognizing yourself as a citizen of this country.
The symbolism of the “KONTENTA” project is based on the reinterpretation of Ukrainian mental sound—the sound of bandura. The pillar of this modern audiovisual studies project echoes authentic Ukrainian identity symbols.
— Ukrainian bandurists are an absolutely unique phenomenon. Its essence is that people who could not see used their hearing to perceive ideas with immense depth of reflection. And, walking across the country, they spread these ideas in certain tempo-rhythmic formats of transmission—through singing or reading. Researchers of this phenomenon determined that it is the mental sound of Ukrainians. There is a certain rhythm to it, deep meaning expressed through ideas and the format in which it was once presented. Why was this phenomenon distorted by the Soviets so drastically? Because if they didn’t hybridize it and someone started to explain what the meaning of it was, it would become apparent that Ukrainians are a separate nation with a deep complex culture. A rosette was carved onto the musical instruments of bandurists. It is a certain sign/symbol, but in today’s world, it acts as a brand. We proposed to integrate the brand of mental Ukrainian music into the concept of these audiovisual studies, Yevhen Zabarylo explained at the opening of the Kropyvnytskiy KONTENTA studio.
3,026 pupils take part in the programs of the Creativity Center in Kropyvnytskyi. There are two orchestras, an ensemble of bandurists, vocal groups, theater groups, and choreographic studios—every single one of them needs high-quality sound.
— Cultural Platform Zakarpattya NGO is just an insanely cool team. They understood how important it is; and released this project in Ukraine in a very competent, intelligent, and well-thought-through way (from the managerial point of view). The best tool for maintaining mental health is music. I am grateful that now such projects provide an opportunity to make high-quality music content, — concluded Hanna Surkova, Director of the Kropyvnytskyi Creativity Center.
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. The selection of communities where these audiovisual studios will operate is still ongoing. You can contact the team on behalf of the community via e-mail at hello@cultpz.org.
Photo Anna Remizova
Tetyana Koliadych
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