Bringing Ukraine’s culture to the world
Date and time:
Monday 6 September, 2021
19:00 - 20:30
Location:
22 Binney Street
(Back entrance of Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral)
London, W1K 5BQ
30 years after independence, Ukraine continues to reimagine its culture, explore its history and reconnect with its identity in order to shake off the Soviet legacy. We will talk about the role arts and culture play in the country’s identity, in countering propaganda and building an image of Ukraine internationally.
Ahead of the Ukrainian Ballet Gala at Sadler's Wells, a landmark event in presenting Ukrainian culture abroad, co-producer of the project and theatre artist Olga Danylyuk will speak alongside Marina Pesenti (former director of the Ukrainian Institute London & expert in cultural diplomacy) to discuss how arts and culture can become powerful tools to tell Ukraine’s story to the world; what can be done to promote institutional integration with Europe and how Ukraine can claim its place on the cultural map of the world.
Friends and Benefactors of the Ukrainian Institute London are entitled to an exclusive 10% discount for the Ukrainian Ballet Gala on 8 September at Sadler's Wells. Get in touch for more info: info@ukrainianinstitute.org.uk.
Speaker
Dr Olga Danylyuk
Dr Olga Danylyuk (PhD, RCSSD, University of London, MA, Central Saint Martins) Director of I-DO Lab - Theatre Director and Producer
Olga Danylyuk started her theatre career on Broadway, NY as an assistant to the renowned designer Ann Hould-Ward upon graduation from Lviv Art Academy. Since then she has embarked on an international career as a theatre designer and director with a range of performance forms including musicals, opera, ballet, physical theatre, and drama. Her experience in theatre includes working with LaMama Theatre and Joyce Soho in New York, Camden People Theatre and Laban Contemporary Dance School in London among others. Olga completed her PhD using PaR methodology at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. In her research of mediatized war, she explored the inter-determining relationship between art and politics. Olga worked with children from Ukraine’s frontline towns to produce major theatre performances including Letters to an Unknown Friend from New York and Contact Line.
In 2016-2017 Olga also served as an adviser to the Minister of Culture of Ukraine.
Speaker
Marina Pesenti
Marina Pesenti was the director of the Ukrainian Institute London in 2015-2020, overseeing significant growth and expansion of the Institute and its activities. Marina has 20 years of professional experience, covering media, public affairs, conference producing and cultural management. She spent 10 years with the BBC World Service in London, producing and presenting programmes in Ukrainian and English. Marina has done analytical research for think tanks, such as Legatum Institute in London, Kennan Institute in Kyiv. Her most recent piece of research, "Cultural Revival and Social Transformation in Ukraine," was published by Chatham House in 2020. Marina contributes to British and Ukrainian media: her pieces appeared in "The World Today," Atlantic Council, Novoye Vremya, Kyiv Post. She is originally from Kyiv, holds a BA degree in cultural studies from the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy and an MSc degree in European Political Economy from the London School of Economics.
Moderator
Olha Mukha
Olha Mukha is a philosopher (PhD), researcher, editor, manager and curator of cultural, art, human rights, and academic projects. Since 2018, she has worked with PEN International as curator of congresses, committees and new centres. Olha is also the Programme Director of Ukrainian Association of Cultural Studies (Lviv), editor of “Religion Studies” magazine (Kyiv, Ukraine) and Head of Information & Education sector of museum "Territory of Terror" (Lviv, Ukraine). Olha is an Honorary Ambassador of Lviv (2020-2022) and Chief press officer of the Ukrainian scout organization in Great Britain PLAST (UK).
