International Visual Arts Festival to Occur in Tomsk in 2025
A Huge Art Bash Awaits Tomsk in 2025: The First International Visual Arts Festival Named after Alexander Nevsky!
Get ready, art enthusiasts! Tomsk is set to host a grand spectacle of visual arts, with the First International Visual Arts Festival named after Alexander Nevsky kicking off in autumn 2025. This exciting event will bring together participants aged 12 to 35 from around the world, and they can win awards in various nominations such as photography, video clip, animation, film, painting, graphic design, and 3D graphics (a new addition to this year's event).
According to Larisa Vazhova, head of the Tomsk regional department of culture, the official call for entries for the festival will start in September 2025. The fest will be the merger of two cultural events that have been running separately in the region - the "Bronze Knight" children's film festival and the Tomsk College of Arts and Culture festival.
Natalia Kiselyova, deputy governor of the region, explained the rationale behind the merger, "We see that the interest in our festivals is growing both domestically and internationally. Combining these two festivals will expand our target audience, so not only children and young adults but also teenagers will have the opportunity to participate."
Valentin Zhelezchikov, a member of the festival organizing committee and director of the Governor's College of Arts and Culture, added that participants aged 12 to 35 can submit their works, but the jury will evaluate them based on age groups: 12 to 18 years old.
As for the themes of the works accepted for the competition, they are outlined in the regulations: love, friendship, homeland, and the protection of the Fatherland. "We will pay special attention to stories about our home region, as it is highly demanded. This is one of our main focuses," said Vazhova. The results of the competition will be announced in December.
However, participants are not allowed to submit works created using AI, as Zhelezchikov explained, "Artificial intelligence does not allow you to show your talent; it gives you a pre-made result. We faced this issue last year as some participants used AI, so we developed a protection system. Experts will be able to filter out works that were created using artificial intelligence." He added that the protection system will require participants to submit the original materials (sketches, video recordings, etc.) used for the creation of their works.
- The First International Visual Arts Festival named after Alexander Nevsky will offer more than just visual arts, as it will also include categories for lifestyle, fashion-and-beauty, food-and-drink, home-and-garden, relationships, pets, travel, cars, and shopping, giving participants a broader chance to showcase their talents.
- Artists can anticipate a competition that celebrates their individuality, as the festival has strict guidelines against the use of artificial intelligence in creating their works, ensuring that every piece reveals the painter's genuine skill and creativity.
- Beyond the competition, visitors can experience a true fusion of cultures, with participants and visitors from around the world sharing their perspectives on various aspects of life, possibly sparking conversations related to relationships, pets, and travel stories.
- A truly immersive experience, the festival promises an array of activities, such as shopping for unique art pieces, wandering through exhibits showcasing various home-and-garden styles, and engaging with cultural performances that delve into love, friendship, homeland, and the protection of the Fatherland.
