As part of the IV International Children’s Cultural Forum, a youth hackathon was held where teams from across Russia presented projects on how cultural branding can shape the image and attractiveness of a region.
Over several days, participants explored the meaning of cultural code, the factors that shape its perception, and proposed modern ways to promote it — from art clusters and theater festivals to VR tours and digital initiatives.
The jury was composed of:
- Dmitry Bak, literary critic, journalist, and Director of the State Museum of the History of Russian Literature named after V. I. Dahl.
- Dmitry Dyachenko, Deputy Artistic Director for Creative Affairs, Moscow State Academic Children’s Musical Theater named after N. I. Sats.
- Sergey Kokhichko, Head of VK Culture.
- Boris Nevolin, Executive Director of ANO ArtMasters and CEO of the ArtMasters Production Center.
- Tatyana Rybkina, Director of the All-Russian Museum of Decorative, Applied and Folk Art.
- Kristina Trubinova, General Director of the Bakhrushin Central Theater Museum.
- Olga Khomova, General Director of the State Academic Capella of St. Petersburg, Chair of the Union of Concert Organizations of Russia, Honored Cultural Worker of Russia.
Participating teams and projects included:
- Pozitivchiki (LPR, DPR, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, Lugansk) — “The Lugansk Character”, featuring a musical based on Matusovsky’s works, library and educational initiatives, a festival, and online projects.
- Voices of the Caucasus (North Caucasus Federal District, Essentuki) — “Cinemaspace ‘Frames’”, designed to engage students and schoolchildren in filmmaking and promote the city.
- Fusion of Creativity (Far Eastern Federal District, Chukotka) — “Chukotka: The Rise of Northern Culture”, promoting the heritage of indigenous peoples.
- Rubik’s Cube (Central Federal District, Ryazan) — “Generations in Connection”, an art cluster uniting music, dance, design, cinema, and theater.
- Northern Lights (Northwestern Federal District, Kaliningrad) — “Youth Creative Capital of Russia”, including a forum of street performances, urban quests, and cultural podcasts.
- Barabulka (Southern Federal District, Taganrog) — “The City of Chekhonte”, celebrating Anton Chekhov’s literary legacy and promoting Taganrog as a literary tourism destination.
- Orkestro (Volga Federal District, Votkinsk) — “A City with History, Ready for Change”, based on Tchaikovsky’s heritage, featuring the festival “VOT Chai, VOT Tchaikovsky”, an exploration game, and a crafts fair.
- Ugornye (Ural Federal District, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug — Yugra) — “Yugroshko”, a themed mobile shuttle for tourists and local residents.
- SKIBON (Siberian Federal District, Barnaul) — “Cultural Cluster of the Silver Plant”, with digital elements, a VR tour, and a local currency BarnaulCoin.
Winner
The jury awarded first place to Orkestro from Votkinsk (Volga Federal District) for their project “A City with History, Ready for Change.” Built around the legacy of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, the project integrates modern cultural formats: the festival “VOT Chai, VOT Tchaikovsky”, the exploration game “The City Through Tchaikovsky’s Eyes”, and a craft fair.
The Orkestro project was recognized as the most promising and ready for practical implementation, for its successful combination of creativity, originality, technological innovation, and social impact.
