Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk

The Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk (literally “Slavic Bazaar”) is an international arts festival held in the city of Vitebsk, Belarus. Founded shortly after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, it has been held every summer since 1992. The festival brings together artists from Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Bulgaria, and former Yugoslavia, as well as guests from many other countries, Slavic and non-Slavic alike.

The predecessor of Slavianski Bazaar was the Polish Song Festival in Vitebsk that took place in 1988 and 1990. It was a sister festival to the Soviet Song Festival held in the Polish city of Zielona Góra from 1965 to 1989. The main venue of the present-day Slavianski Bazaar Festival, Summer Amphitheater, was constructed specifically for the event.

The dissolution of the Soviet Union put an end to the Polish Song Festival and weakened cultural ties between the post-Soviet states. Slavianski Bazaar was founded to strengthen these ties and to showcase the cultural diversity of Slavic nations. The first festival was organized by the Government of Belarus with the financial support from its neighbors, Russia and Ukraine.

In 1993, Slavianski Bazaar was admitted to the Federation Internationale des Organisations de Festivals (FIDOF, International Federation of Festival Organizations). Two years later, it was dubbed the International Arts Festival and hosted a film screening for the first time. Since its inception, it has become one of the most important and anticipated cultural events in Slavic countries.

The main event of the festival is the traditional International Pop Song Performers Contest. It has been a prime focus since the first edition of Slavianski Bazaar. The main goals of the contest are to discover and support young talented singers from all over the world and to promote cultural dialogue, tolerance and mutual understanding.

The contest is open to young performers from different countries who have been awarded at national competitions. Each contestant is required to perform two songs, one in the national language of the country he or she represents and the other written by a composer from a Slavic country in any of the Slavic languages. The winner is selected by an international jury. They are presented the Golden Lyre Award.

Alongside the International Pop Song Performers Contest, the festival features the International Children Music Contest, live concerts, stand-up comedy, theatrical performances, street performances, workshops and educational projects, film screenings, special events, and more.