Day: September 4, 2026

During the lecture «Traditional Crafts: A New Perspective», Forum participants learned how lacquer miniatures are created and then painted their own magnets using this technique.

The session was led by representatives of the Fedoskino Miniature Painting Factory, founded in 1795: Deputy General Director Anastasia Kareeva and Chief Artist Elena Moiseeva. They explained how this centuries-old craft continues to evolve and why handmade works remain in demand today.

Each piece takes months to create. Several craftspeople work on a single box in succession: a shaper, a lacquerer, a miniature painter and a polisher. The miniatures depict different historical periods and elements of Russia’s cultural heritage, including traditional Russian troikas, architectural landmarks, prominent figures and landscapes. Today, Fedoskino artists carefully preserve the traditions of the craft while exploring new imagery and forms.

The participants saw how a centuries-old tradition continues to thrive in the modern world and tried their hand at creating art themselves.

The Forum presented theatrical events in a wide variety of formats — from an open conversation about charity and a puppet show to an introduction to Russian folk music. The programme featured the State Theatre of Nations, the Sergei Obraztsov State Academic Central Puppet Theatre and the Moscow State Academic Russian Song Theatre.

Evgeny Mironov, People’s Artist of Russia and Artistic Director of the State Theatre of Nations, spoke about how theatres support charitable foundations, develop social initiatives and help those who particularly need care and support. The dialogue «Theatre and Charity» was sincere and open, focusing on practical actions that can change someone’s life and the role of art in addressing important issues.

Young performers from the Obraztsov Puppet Theatre’s drama studio presented «Fugue for a Maple Leaf», based on fairy tales by Evgeny Klyuev. The main character, a maple leaf, sets off to explore the world and discovers the extraordinary in the most ordinary things.

During the workshop «Russian History Through Folk Music», Nadezhda Babkina, People’s Artist of Russia and Artistic Director and General Director of the Russian Song Theatre, explained how songs from different regions reflect the traditions, character and destiny of their people — from northern folk songs and Cossack melodies to lullabies and chastushkas.

The Forum’s theatre programme brought together different genres, themes and generations. We thank our partner theatres for creating encounters that helped participants see art from a new perspective and discover Russia’s cultural diversity.