GogolFest was conceived by Vladislav Troitsky, a Ukrainian theatre actor, director, playwright, television host and the founder of the DAKh Center for Contemporary Art. The co-founder of the festival is Evgeni Utkin, a Ukrainian entrepreneur best known as the founder of the IT company Kvazar-Micro. The festival was named after Nikolai Gogol, a famous Russian author of Ukrainian origin whose early works were heavily influenced by Ukrainian culture and folklore.
The inaugural GogolFest took place in 2007 at Mystetskyi Arsenal (“Art Arsenal”), a multidisciplinary art center and museum in Kyiv. It attracted an audience of about 10,000 people over a week. The next year, the attendance increased fivefold. Due to steadily increasing attendance, the festival has changed several venues, including the Dovzhenko Film Studio and the Vydubychi Art Cluster. Since 2015, GogolFest has been held at the National Expocenter of Ukraine in the Teremky neighborhood of Kyiv.
The festival offers a rich and diverse program that encompasses various types and genres of art. It includes theatre and dance performances, musical concerts on several stages, film screenings, educational events, special events and activities for children, visual art installations, literary events, fashion shows, exhibitions, workshops, lectures, talks, round tables, discussions, presentations, and more. Most events are free to attend, but some have paid admittance.
GogolFest is an international festival that features hundreds of artists from around the world. Over the years, it has welcomed participants from Ukraine, Russia, Poland, Germany, Slovakia, Belarus, Georgia, Greece, Uruguay, Columbia, Switzerland, South Korea, the United States, Italy, Spain, Israel, the Netherlands, France, Lithuania, the UK, Kazakhstan, Canada, Austria, Sweden, Norway, Ireland, Hungary, and other countries.
GogolFest usually runs over a week in September. It has taken place every year since its inception except for 2011, when Vladislav Troitsky canceled the event due to lack of government funding and support.
Photo: gogolfest.org
