This summer Vologda will host several international events –XIII Drama Festival Voices of History, VII Festival VOICES (VOlogda Independent Cinema from European Screens), VII American Music Festival and XXXVI International FISAE Congress.
Alongside with these international events, the so called Festival Summer project will include several inter-regional festivals covering different genres and styles of music, theatre, literature and crafts.
Vologda will become home to XIII International drama festival Voices of History from June 26 throughout July 2. The festival Voices of History, which emerged in 1991 as a review of the performances of professional theatres in the historical and architectural ensemble of the unique environment of the Vologda Kremlin has long been a hallmark of the Vologda Region, a favourite festival of all theatre-goers.
The international festival merits great attention. The success of it has been conditioned by the professionalism of the participants and serious experience, and the ability to combine these qualities with Russian national characteristics. The performances are shown in the open air.
This year the Voices of History will be held not only in the historical setting of the Vologda Kremlin, which is a point of interest itself, but also in the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery and the Museum of history and ethnography "Manor of the Galskoys” in Cherepovets City.
The VOICES Festival that is to take place from July 8th to 10th will continue the Festival Summer project. Since 2010 VOICES has became an essential event for all European and Russian independent cinema lovers.
In 2016, the 7th edition of VOICES will welcome the newest European movies and popular foreign and Russian filmmakers. The competition will gather feature films from all across Europe. As always the organizers are preparing different workshops, interesting exhibitions and the traditional Picnic.
The Gonzalo Bergara Quartet (Los Angeles, USA) has been invited by the U.S. Consulate General in St. Petersburg to play at the seventh American Music Festival that will kick off in Vologda and Kirillov on July 15-17. The festival is arranged with an active backing of the Vologda State Museum-Preserve, Kirillo-Belozersk State Museum-Preserve, and the U.S.A. Consulate General in St. Petersburg. Vologda's music lovers will get a chance to experience the unique sounds of the renowned American gypsy jazz artists.
The U.S. Consulate General in St. Petersburg decided to plant American musical seeds in Vologda six years ago with the help of its Russian partners at the Vologda Oblast Government, Department of Culture and Tourism of the Vologda Region, and the Vologda State Museum-Preserve. The festivals were devoted to bluegrass, blues, zydeco music and jazz.
The 36th International FISAE Congress held in Vologda on August 22-27 will be a milestone both for our city and the country.This decision to organize an ex-libris congress in Vologda was taken at an international ex-libris event in La Pineda, Spain's “Golden Coast”.
Vologda was chosen by FISAE delegates for a number of reasons. Since the beginning of the 20th century Vologda has been famous for bookplate creation. At present the Vologda Picture Gallery boasts a big ex-libris collection by both domestic and foreign artists.
In the 21st century Vologda has been very active in the ex-libris movement with many graphic artists becoming interested in ex-libris creation, with a regular participation in international competitions and an increasing number of dedicated collectors.
250 artists from 35 countries (Russia, China, Mexico, Peru, Argentina, the USA, Poland, Italy, Belarus, Bulgaria, Romania, Germany, France, Finland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine and others) have already sent their works for the international congress.
The upcoming FISAE International Ex-Libris Congress will be an opportunity to learn more about the rich and old Russian culture and to admire Vologda, one of the ancient cities in Russia's North-West. Ex-libris Congress (FISAE) will be held in the exhibition halls of the Vologda Picture Gallery. This will be one of the largest shows of contemporary art of exlibris in the world. All the works will be donated to the Vologda Picture Gallery.