The Likhachev Foundation
The Presidential Center of Boris N. Yeltsin
CULTURAL FELLOWSHIPS IN RUSSIA-2017
In 2017, the Likhachev Foundation of St. Petersburg, Russia, announced its tenth open
competition for the Cultural Fellowships in Russia program. This program is designed for
foreign professionals in the field of arts and culture who currently work on creative projects on
(or related to) Russian culture or history. Such projects, supported by the Cultural Fellowships in
Russia program, are designed to help spread information about Russian culture among a broader
foreign audience.
Participants of the Program will arrive in St. Petersburg for two-week fellowships in May. Each
fellow will have his/her program individually tailored according to the project and professional
interests. The organizers of the program are the Likhachev Foundation and the Presidential
Center of Boris N. Yeltsin, who organize and provide the main financing for the program, with
additional support from the U.S. Consulate in St. Petersburg.
When founded, this was the first Russian program of this kind, supporting cultural visits by
foreign intellectuals (and remains the only such program). Participants of the program work on
important cultural initiatives, with the ultimate aim of increasing knowledge of and interest in
Russian history and culture among non-Russians.
The Program has several partners including; Open World Leadership Center at the Library of
Congress, the Trust for Mutual Understanding, CEC ArtsLink, Ambassador hotel
(St.Petersburg). Additionally Fellowship alumni from the years 2008-2016 helped disseminate
information about the Program and raise interest.
The 2017 Fellows were selected from a pool of over 80 applicants from 30 countries who
participated in an open competition. The group of fellows includes 8 professionals from the UK,
the USA, Finland and Republic of Mauritius.
They arrive in St. Petersburg on May 15 for two weeks. They are going to visit (according to
their individual projects and schedules) the city’s cultural organizations, archives, libraries, and
museums, as well as meet and consult with experts and cultural figures of St. Petersburg.
The Program’s organizers believe that contacts between the Fellows and the Russian cultural
establishment will:
Expose the societies of various countries to the cultural diversity of contemporary Russia;
Improve cultural ties between Russia and the world;
Bring to the attention of foreign cultural institutions (museums, theaters, libraries) new
cultural opportunities in Russia and launch new partnerships and projects;
Promote and popularize Russian culture around the world.
For additional information contact:
Likhachev Foundation, Russia 191028 St. Petersburg, Mokhovaya street, 15
Phone/fax: +7 (812) 272-2912, Email: vitenberg@lfond.spb.ru, elenavitenberg@gmail.com
Program Coordinator Elena Vitenberg
PARTICIPANTS OF FELLOWSHIPS IN RUSSIA-2017
Autio-Meloni Helena (Finland)
Specialist and active promouter of Russian theater, worked as an assistant and translator for Tovstonogov, Efros, Lyubimov, Dodin, Ginkas, was an Director of the Finnish Institute in StPettersburg and a Cultural Advisor at the Finnish Embassy, established Adelfa Agency for cultural cooperation between Finland and Russia. She works on lectures about StPetersburg theater world for the broad Finnish audience, and wants to involve the leading international experts on Russian arts and culture.
Avery Peter (USA)
As Director of Theater at the New York City Department of Education, supervises all theater programs for the approximately 1,800 public schools, he is an expert on theater education and theater producer.
My project goal is two-fold—to document and share new plays, directorial styles and training approaches with my American and international theater artists and educator colleagues. I often present at workshops and conferences on trends, movements and innovations in theater performance and education. In addition, I often partner with guest professional theater artists to engage our NYC community. Thus the relationships I make in St. Petersburg might prove fruitful for cultural exchange down the line. I am also interested in identifying potential new or perhaps unknown play and/or innovative styles that might translate to New York, either to be workshopped or even produced».
Degtyarenko Erick (Republic of Mauritius)
Founder and Director of the Admiral Nevelskoi Maritime Museum, President and Founder of The Mauritius Russian-Speaking Society, founder of the Russian Language Centre, Director of Maritime Museum Ltd Mauritius.
«Leonid Lysenko started his round the world tour on the Admiral Nevelskoi Yacht in July 1993.While he was in the Indian Ocean he lost the mast of the yacht and abandoned it. The Admiral Nevelskoi was now a phantom vessel moving in the Indian Ocean crewless. In 2010, I found the Admiral Nevelskoi Yacht in Rodrigues during a visit to the Island. It was the beginning of the great adventure for Russian History and language for me. In the same year the yacht was declared Maritime Museum. The yacht is the only historical link between Mauritius and Russia. The museum relates the history of the Great Russian navigator Admiral Nevelskoi and his life.
I want to do a research at the Naval museum in relation to Admiral Nevelskoy and maritime instruments of his time, and organize some exchange for exhibition between Russian Museums and Admiral Nevelskoi Museum. I want to organize expedition on the yacht around the world, by continuing the vision of Admiral Nevelskoi to promote Russia, Russian language and culture».
Grote Jason (USA)
Playwright, screenwriter and television writer based Los Angeles, California. His plays include 1001, Civilization, Shostakovich or Silence, Darwin’s Challenge. Film and television workinclude Mad Men, Hannibal and Smash. He teaches writing at UC San Diego and at Primary StagesІ ESPA. He works on an English-language play about the life of the composer Dmitri Shostakovich. A draft of this play currently exists. This play was commissioned and developed by ACT (Seattle, WA). "I strongly believe Shostakovich life and work have much to tell us about our present moment»
Kinmonth Margy (UK)
Award-winning Film Director and Producer, making bold, internationally acclaimed films about biography, art and culture, working with world class artists and institutions. Her latest film: “Revolution - New Art for a New World” is dedicated to the centenary of the
1917 Russian Revolution. Her previous cinema films include “Hermitage Revealed” working with Piotrovsky and “Royal Paintbox” working with HRH The Prince of Wales. She has directed films about ballet and opera: “Nutcracker Story” and “Mariinsky Theatre” working with Gergiev. She has won the BAFTA Award for Best Documentary Series, the Royal Television Society Award for Best Arts Film and The Creative Originality Award from Women in Film & Television. She wants to create a feature documentary about Russian Theatre to celebrate the 110th anniversary of the Theatre Museum in 2018. "I want to research the archive stores for material and footage of the names on the Magic Staircase of the Theater museum and bring them to life. I will also chart their influence on the younger generation of performers.
Kozicharow Nicola (UK)
Affiliated Lecturer, Department of History of Art, University of Cambridge and an independent scholar of Russian art, with a particular focus on twentieth century visual culture. She works on the book Visual Culture and the Construction of Russian Émigré Identity. «The point of departure for my research is the effect of migration and dislocation on the artistic imagination. My current book project investigates the cultural aftershocks of the Russian Revolution of 1917».
Lacombe Brigitte (USA)
One of the most successful portrait photographers in the world, and is known for her influential and revelatory portraiture. For the past four decades, she has created iconic and intimate photographs of our most celebrated artists, actors, politicians and intellectuals. She has published photo-essays and portraits in many publications worldwide, including The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, GQ, Conde Nast Traveler, The Wall Street Journal Magazine, The New York Times Magazine, The Financial Times Magazine, Zeit Magazine , Paris Vogue , Elle, Interview , and many others. ;I would like to propose a series of 20 portraits of 20 Russian women who are working in the arts
and culture in St. Petersburg, for an eventual book, exhibition, or social media project. At the end of each portrait, I will also make a short video portrait of each women, explaining who they are and what they do».
Marschan Elizabeth (Finland)
Programme curator, documentary consultant and a freelance journalist cooperating with a number of festivals internationally. During her time at MTV3 as a filmmaker and scriptwriter, Marschan has actively contributed to the creation of many works for television – such as The Soviet Woman, Ilya Repin 1844-1930 and Ilya Ehrenburg – travelling widely in Soviet Union and Russia. «Leonid Andreyev was an extremely versatile and talented writer, an artist who periodically was engaged in painting and – a less well known fact – also was a stunning photographer. There are 400 colour photographs, poetic and picturescue, intimate portraits of family members and
friends, autoportraits, landscapes, the sea, boats. I would like to offer, present Andreyev's visions, his photos to a larger audience in the form of a documentary film.»