In September 2026, the contemporary art festival GOGOLFEST returns to Kyiv for the first time in nine years. According to Wave (RBC-Ukraine), the festival team, marking the project's 20th anniversary this year, is preparing a large-scale program combining theatrical productions, music, performances, and contemporary art objects. The central events of September will be a site-specific installation on the Alley of Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred, performances featuring active military personnel and veterans of the Russo-Ukrainian war, as well as a special show by the group DakhaBrakha, created specifically for the festival.
107 Light Flowers on the Alley of Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred
On September 19, a site-specific event 'Angels of Freedom' will take place on the Alley of Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred, directed by Vladyslav Troitsky. The musical part will be led by Canadian conductor Carey-Lynn Wilson, founder of the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra; the event will also feature the solo ensemble 'Kyiv Camerata' and the choir 'Kyiv'. As envisioned by the authors, the alley will be transformed into a large-scale light installation of 107 three-meter flowers, to be created by Polish artist Jarek Koziara. Each flower symbolizes the soul of one of the Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred — hence the number 107.
The Veterans' Theatre and the Premiere of 'The Trojan Women'
A separate emotional highlight of the program will be the theatrical block. On September 16, the Veterans' Theatre will present 'Enchida' — a production in which roles are performed by active military personnel and veterans of the Russo-Ukrainian war, including defenders with severe injuries and amputations. On September 17, the premiere of 'The Trojan Women' — a Ukrainian adaptation of a production by the New York theatre La MaMa — will take place. The program also includes a special event 'Thirst for Life' featuring Schmalgauzen, Qarpa, 'Kroshky' and 'Piroh y Knut', and a separate part will be presented by the design school Schooll of Art x Craft, founded by Liia Lytkovska. The festival's film program will be prepared by the team of 'Contemporary Ukrainian Cinema'.
DakhaBrakha and the Art Squat in the October Palace
The group DakhaBrakha will present the show 'Circle of Life', created specifically for GOGOLFEST; the performance will take place on a vertical stage. According to Wave, one of the central locations of September will be the MCKM — the former Zhovtnevyy (October) Palace, buried in broken glass after a recent missile strike. 50 Ukrainian artists will 'move into' the abandoned building, turning it into a large-scale art squat: participants will work with the inner courtyard and other locations, creating contemporary art objects.
Contradictory Data
There is a discrepancy in publications regarding the festival's key venues. In the Wave (RBC-Ukraine) article, the central location is named as the MCKM — the former Zhovtnevyy Palace, where artists are setting up a squat. Meanwhile, the publication delo.ua reports that 'Gogolfest', having been refused by the Mistsetskyi Arsenal, will take place at the Dovzhenko Film Studio. Thus, at least two different venues (the October Palace and the Dovzhenko Film Studio) are mentioned in open sources, as well as a refusal from the Mistsetskyi Arsenal. The XAB.info editorial team recommends verifying the exact final map of locations for September 2026 in the festival's official announcements.
History of the Project
GOGOLFEST was founded by Vladyslav Troitsky in 2007 in Kyiv. In 2019, the festival entered the top five best festivals in Europe according to the EFFE Awards. The return to the capital after a nine-year break coincides with the project's anniversary program, making September 2026 one of the most packed seasons for the Kyiv cultural calendar.
