Cultural Policy in Kyiv

Cultural policy

Kyiv City Council is responsible for cultural policy in the city. Policymakers play a vital role in preserving, promoting, and enhancing the city’s cultural assets and ensuring its resilience in the face of challenges.

Cultural programmes

Being a hospitable city Kyiv is the perfect place to host global entertainment events, including ATLAS Weekend, Moto Open Fest, Kyiv Art Week and Kyiv Light Fest to the final of the EURO 2012 European Football Championship and the international Eurovision Song Contest in 2005 and 2017.

Kyiv has seen wars, occupations, terror and repression. The city knows what pain, resilience, and courage are. Throughout these challenges Kyiv always finds the strength to recover. Even in times of Russian invasion and military attacks, the city continues to restore destroyed buildings, energy infrastructure and other civilian facilities. Despite the restrictions of wartime, a diverse cultural life is remains at the heart of the city.

During the recent Russian invasion of Ukraine, cultural activities have acted as a lifeline for Ukrainians, providing comfort and escape from the harsh realities of war. Concert halls and theatres are regularly filled to capacity, performing during blackouts, determined that the show must go on. The stand-up comedy scene is growing, providing another outlet for resistance and emotional release. Cultural events continue to thrive such as the Kyiv Biennial and the alternative music festival On Time, bringing communities together and celebrating Ukrainian creativity.

Healing also extends to urban spaces, where citizens are reclaiming their cultural identity,  removing the scars of Russian influence and highlighting Ukrainian culture. For example, over 1500 streets in Kyiv have been renamed and Russian monuments have been removed following public consultation in the Kyiv Digital app.

Cultural heritage and infrastructure

Kyiv was the capital of one of the most developed states in Europe in the Tenth and Eleventh centuries. Kyivan Rus was the historical economical, religious and cultural centre of the region. Now the capital of Ukraine, forming the Kyiv agglomeration, is the largest city in Ukraine, forming a hub for high-tech industries, impressive number of higher education institutions and historical monuments also having an extensive public transport and infrastructure system. It has a large network of cultural institutions, including municipal institutions – 139 libraries, 14 museums, 21 theatres, 6 concert venues, 4 higher education institutions and 55 children’s art schools. At the same time, the capital can offer a wide range of open spaces for cultural events, including city parks, squares, aquatic environment and zoological park.

Kyiv is home to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of St Sophia Cathedral and the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra. During Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine, cultural institutions have become hubs of resistance – organising relief efforts, preserving cultural collections and protecting Ukrainian monuments.

Digital archives play an important role in recording the war’s impact on Ukrainian culture. Kyiv’s VR Tourism platform hosts virtual tours of buildings before the invasion, and has been adapted to record evidence of their destruction. Other platforms like the Back up Ukraine app have supported citizens to create over 35,000 3D scans of cultural heritage.

Community Engagement, Social Impact & Policy Innovation

Throughout its storied history, Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, has endured numerous hardships. Yet, the resilient spirit of Kyiv’s residents, coupled with their deep-rooted connection to the city’s cultural and historical significance, has allowed Kyiv to stand tall. This commitment to preserving its heritage and promoting its arts reinforces the belief that Kyiv will once again, be a hub of culture, resilience, and hospitality. History shows – no matter what happens, Ukrainians know Kyiv will stand and welcome visitors from all over the world.

Culture continues to play an important role in supporting resistance to oppression, inspiring hope and supporting recovery.

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