The Art Gene Festival was established by the non-profit organization of the same name, whose main mission is the revival of Georgia’s traditional culture. The organization was founded by Georgian rock musician, folklorist and civil activist Zaza Korinteli, better known by his stage name Zumba.
During 2003, its members were engaged in researching the traditional art of Georgia, focusing on folk music. They visited all regions of Georgia and talked to more than 100 families that still preserve centuries-old folk traditions. Many of these families took part in the gala concert at the first Art Gene Festival in 2004.
Every year the festival team highlights different aspects of traditional culture. For example, the 2004 festival primarily focused on music, and the next edition was dedicated to traditional arts and crafts. Other themes have included traditional medicine and traditional Caucasian home, domestic tourism and national cuisine, ecology and bio products, the Georgian language and writing, education and traditional Georgian family.
The festival is attended by people of all ages and backgrounds, and its program encompasses all aspects of traditional culture, including fine arts, various crafts (from sewing and embroidery to pottery and jewelry), music and dance, weaponry, martial arts, blacksmithing, beekeeping, cooking, traditional medicine, and much more.
Art Gene offers a rich and diverse program featuring folk music concerts, exhibitions and folk craft fairs, workshops, tastings, folk games, and more. To attract more young people, the program includes rock concerts and jam sessions, which blend together contemporary and folk music. These eclectic performances have become one of the festival’s main attractions.
The Art Gene Festival is one of the most popular and well-attended cultural events in the Caucasus region. Its participants include representatives of various ethnic minorities of Georgia, as well as guests from Chechnya, Ingushetia, Ukraine, Turkey, Latvia, China, Japan, France, the United Kingdom, and other countries and regions.
Photo: artgeni.ge
