Initiatives in Arts Initiatives in Arts

This is the main activity area, where the Foundation carries out a number of its own projects. These include:

Krasnoyarsk Book Fair, one of the Foundation’s biggest projects that gathers book publishers and distributors from all over Russia. The Fair was held for the second time in 2008.

‘Taimyr Cactus’ Contemporary Arts Festival, a multidisciplinary event that represents the whole spectrum of present-day culture and has already become an essential part of life in the arctic Norilsk.

Norilsk Seasons Theatre Festival, a cultural event that brings Moscow and regional live theatres to Norilsk every year.

New Theatre Contest, supporting productions in the Urals, Siberia, and the Far East. Priority is given to innovative works of beginning stage directors.

Apart from its own initiatives, the Foundation supports several significant Russian cultural projects.

It is a general partner of:
Mikhail Pletnev’s Russian National Orchestra
Lev Dodin’s Maly Drama Theatre – Theatre of Europe
The State Theatre of Nations
New European Theatre (NET) Festival

The Foundation has supported the following productions:
Life and Fate, the play based on Vasily Grossman’s novel and staged by the Youth Workshop of Lev Dodin’s Maly Drama Theatre
Boris Godunov baroque opera, composed by Johann Mattesohn in Hamburg in 1710, the first European opera based on a Russian plot
Polar Truth, a stage play based on interviews with HIV-positive people.
Cage for the Air, a dance project of ZERO Theatre that combines live music performance, dance, and video art.

Science and Education

This activity area aims to develop the nation’s intellectual and creative potential and includes the following key components:

Competition of academic, artistic, and educational projects concerned with the history, natural environment, and culture of Krasnoyarsk Krai.
New Role of Libraries in Education: awards for educational library projects.
Room for Talent: educational grants to support talented children in Norilsk, including travel and equipment costs cover.
Academic Mobility: travel, traineeship, and seminar grants for students, post-graduates, and young teachers in Krasnoyarsk Krai.
Local Histories: Academic, Artistic, and Educational Aspects, research project culminating in an annual international conference in Norilsk.
Equipment Upgrade Programme: a long-term comprehensive programme implemented jointly with Norilsk General and Preschool Education Authority.
Scientific and Cultural Mythology of the Tunguska Event: interdisciplinary conference organised in 2008, a century after the explosion.

Development of Mass Media

These activities focus on support of independent media, as well as exchange of experience, training, and motivation for Krasnoyarsk region culture reporters.

Media Project Support: awards to media that promote a favourable image of Krasnoyarsk Krai.

Culture Writers Contest: awards for best journalistic writing about the culture of Krasnoyarsk Krai.

School of Culture Reporting: educational and skills improvement project for Krasnoyarsk journalists.

Urban Environment

This part of the Foundation’s activities aims to improve the quality of urban milieu, which is a vital aspect of cultural life in urban communities.

Art in the Urban Environment: this contest supports street exhibitions, cultural campaigns and events, and encourages creative absorption of the cultural heritage.

Norilsk Courtyard: youth socio-cultural projects awards intended to improve and beautify Norilsk courtyards and involve young people in this task.

Social Posters Programme aims at development of social poster art in Norilsk and includes exhibitions, designer master classes, and a contest.

Plein Air Art: implemented in 2006 to 2007, this project encouraged St Petersburg plein air painters to take a fresh look at the industrial cityscapes of Norilsk and Krasnoyarsk.

Children’s Design: art therapy programme for children in the Norilsk orphanage.

Sports and Public Health

In this area, the Foundation gives priority to projects that focus on involvement of children, teenagers, and young people in sports activity, training of professional coaches, and modernisation of physical education.

Sports Initiative Support: grants for high-potential projects in the field of sports and fitness.
Sports Talent Support: grants for sportsmen to encourage outstanding achievements.
Overcoming: competition of projects aimed at supporting, rehabilitation, and social adaptation of physically disabled children, victims of violence, HIV/AIDS patients, and other vulnerable social groups through culture, education, and sports.
School Mini Football and Give Kids a Football Ground: these are federal-level programmes of the Russian Football Union intended to develop football in Russia and involve school children in this sport.