Cultural news in the Vologda region

This summer Vologda will host several inter-regional and international events – XIV International Drama Festival Voices of History, International Folk Crafts Festival «City of Crafts» and VIII VOICES Festival (Vologda Independent Cinema from European Screens).

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 XIV International Drama Festival Voices of History from June 19 throughout June 27. This year the Festival will be held not only in the historical setting of the Vologda Kremlin, which is a point of interest itself, but also in the majestic architectural ensemble of the Kirillo-Belozersky monastery. This year the «Voices of History» will attract the most skilful actors and repertory theatres from Russia, the Czech Republic, Armenia and Bulgaria.

An International Festival «City of Crafts» will be held in Vologda on June 29-July 1. The festival is aimed at popularization of folk arts and handicrafts among the younger generation. According to the organizers, every day of the festival will be devoted to various programs that reveal to the audience the secrets of one of the folk crafts in the heart of Vologda – Kremlin Square. Artisans will show off their virtuosity in several categories – traditional female crafts, wooden and birch bark craft painting, valenki (kind of felt boots), wood engraving and wicker-work, blacksmithing, potter's craft and forgotten handicrafts.

The 8th edition of VOICES Festival (Vologda Independent Cinema from European Screens) is to take place from July 5th to 8th in Vologda and Cherepovets.

Since 2010 VOICES has become an essential event for all European and Russian independent cinema lovers. Hundreds of guests and films, dozens of concerts and workshops were welcomed by Vologda all along these years.

The basis of the Festival is the most interesting novelties of European cinema and interesting guests. This year the competition will gather feature films from all across Europe and will focus on Balkan states – Albania, Croatia, Romania, Slovenia, Serbia, Greece, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Same as in all previous years, VOICES will welcome the newest European movies and popular foreign and Russian filmmakers.

The VOICES Festival will be held with an active backing of the Vologda Oblast Government, the Vologda City Administration and PAO Severstal, a general partner of the project. As always the organizers are preparing different workshops, interesting exhibitions and the traditional Picnic.