Main points:
- GogolFest returns to Kyiv for the first time in nine years and will take place from September 16 to 20.
- The venue will be the territory of the former October Palace (International Center of Culture and Arts).
- The festival’s theme is “20 years later”, marking the 20th anniversary of Vladyslav Troitskyi’s project.
- The concept is built around the images of “Ark” and “Antidote”.
- The event will cover the courtyards, garden, and service premises of the building, and the closed “Cinema Palace” will become an art squat with works by 50 artists.
- On September 19, a special event will take place featuring DakhaBrakha, Polish circus artists, and video artists.
- A conference called “Antidote” on culture, society, and counteracting disinformation will be held as part of the festival.
- Tickets are already available on the official website.
The GogolFest festival will again take place in the capital – for the first time in nine years. The event will be held from September 16 to 20 at the International Center of Culture and Arts. The dates and concept were announced on the festival’s official website.
This year’s theme is “20 years later”, referring to the 20-year history of the project founded by director Vladyslav Troitskyi in 2007. Over this time, GogolFest has become one of Ukraine’s notable artistic platforms, combining theater, music, and contemporary visual arts.
Organizers describe the 2026 format through two images. The first is “Ark”, a space of coexistence of different cultures and voices, where each preserves its own identity. The second is “Antidote”, a tool for counteracting simplified and colonial narratives through contemporary art and collective creativity.
For the first time, the festival will go beyond the main halls of the ICCA and cover the inner courtyards, garden, service premises, and other hidden corners of the building. The closed “Cinema Palace” will be transformed into an art squat, showcasing works by 50 artists from Ukraine and Europe.
“This 1842 building has survived several eras and several names. Today it stands on the Alley of the Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred – just a few steps from the Maidan. GogolFest reveals it all – not just one stage, but the entire space, full of this memory”, the organizers note.
The five-day program will include theatrical performances, music concerts, performances, exhibitions of contemporary art, and discussions. Ukrainian musicians will perform on the main and street stages. On September 19, the audience will see a special event featuring the band DakhaBrakha, Polish circus artists, and video artists.
A separate block will be the “Antidote” conference – a conversation about culture, society, and resistance to manipulation and disinformation. Tickets for the festival are already available on the official website.
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