--- title: "“GogolFest” returns to Kyiv after nine years, but large-scale events have been moved to spring due to shelling" description: "The contemporary art festival “GogolFest” is returning to Kyiv after a nine-year break, but due to shelling the large-scale events have been moved to spring, while part of the programme will take place on 16–20 September." date: 2026-09-09T08:22:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/gogolfest-kyiv-2026-programme-changed tags: [gogolfest, kyiv, contemporary-art, festival, ukraine, culture] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # “GogolFest” returns to Kyiv after nine years, but large-scale events have been moved to spring due to shelling ![Performers of GogolFest in masks and T-shirts with the '30 Gogol Train' logo in front of a wagon decorated with mask paintings](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/09/gogolfest-kyiv-2026-programma-izmenena/gogolfest-kyiv-2026-programma-izmenena-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - “GogolFest” is returning to Kyiv after a nine-year break, with a programme scheduled for 16–20 September 2026. - Due to shelling and the risk of large crowds, large-scale events have been moved to spring, including the “Angels of Freedom” project and the performances by Dakh Daughters, DakhaBrakha and Schmalgauzen. - In September, the “Kinodvor” will host a visual programme, film screenings, the “Nahorna” residency, the “Art Squat” and Nikita Kadan's installation. The contemporary art festival “GogolFest” is returning to Kyiv after a nine-year break. The event was scheduled for 16–20 September 2026, but due to security threats the organisers have revised the programme: large-scale events have been moved to spring, while part of the artistic programme will take place on the planned September dates. The organisers themselves announced the change of plans on Instagram, and the details of the decision were commented on by the festival's founder, Vlad Troytskyi. ### Return after a nine-year break This year's festival will be the first Kyiv “GogolFest” in nine years. Over two decades, the project has been held 28 times in eight cities of Ukraine and in four European countries, and its events have been attended by more than 800,000 people. The return to Kyiv in 2026 was meant to be a landmark one, but the conditions of war have forced the team to reconsider the format and the geography of events within the city. ### Large-scale events moved to spring The festival team has decided against holding major events in the main venue — the International Centre of Culture and Arts (October Palace) — explaining this by a desire not to create situations involving large crowds of people. In a comment to the publication “Obshchestvenne Kultura”, Vlad Troytskyi emphasised that in wartime conditions the organisers cannot ignore the risks associated with mass events, and quoted the view that holding large events now would be “simply madness”, which is why everything has been moved to spring, in the hope that the danger will subside. Among the items moved to spring is the “Angels of Freedom” project in the excavation pit of the future Museum of Dignity, featuring the Kyiv Camerata, the “Kyiv” choir and Maryana Hovlanko, large-scale projections and an installation by a Polish artist made of a hundred blue poppies, as well as the major performances by Dakh Daughters, DakhaBrakha and Schmalgauzen. ### What will take place in September Despite the reduction, the festival is not being cancelled outright: on 16–20 September, a number of events will be held at the “Kinodvor” (Cinema Palace), where a visual programme and film screenings will be presented. Among the planned projects are the “Nahorna” residency and the “Art Squat”, to which around a hundred students of the arts lyceum under the guidance of artist Alevtyna Kahidze will join; the participants will work directly with the space of the building, creating installations in the rooms, on the staircases and in other locations. A separate installation specifically for the festival is being created by artist Nikita Kadan. Thus, the September part of “GogolFest” will focus predominantly on artistic projects that do not involve large gatherings of visitors. ### Contradictory data The sources differ on the venues and the chronology of the decisions. The main material refers to the decision to forgo large events at the International Centre of Culture and Arts (October Palace) and to hold the September part at the “Kinodvor”. At the same time, the publication delo.ua states in its headline that “Gogolfest”, having been refused by the Mistseskyi Arsenal, will take place at the Dovzhenko Film Studio. This may reflect different stages of venue approval or different iterations of the programme; however, the provided data do not show a clear match of venues, so readers should bear in mind that the final geography of the events may be clarified by the organisers. ### History and scale of the project “GogolFest” is one of the longest-running contemporary art festivals in the region: 28 editions over two decades, eight cities of Ukraine and four European countries, and more than 800,000 visitors in total. The decision to keep the September part of the programme, albeit in a reduced form, was made by the organisers after considering options of full cancellation or moving it to another period — the result is a compromise: artistic projects without mass audiences take place in September, while the major spectacular events have been postponed until spring. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [“GogolFest” has changed its programme due to shelling in Kyiv: large events will take place in spring](https://wave.rbc.ua/ukr/culture/gogolfest-zminiv-programu-cherez-obstrili-1788941567.html) - Подтверждает даты 16–20 сентября 2026, перенос масштабных событий на весну, отказ от больших событий в МЦКиИ, сентябрьскую программу в «Кинодворце», цитату Влада Троицкого и историю фестиваля (28 запусков, 800+ тыс. посетителей). - [“Gogolfest”, having been refused by the Mistseskyi Arsenal, will take place at the Dovzhenko Film Studio](https://delo.ua/lifestyle/gogolfest-poluchivshij-otkaz-m-142638/) - Упоминает иную локацию (киностудию Довженко) и отказ Мистецького Арсенала, что расходится с площадками из основного текста (МЦКиИ, «Кинодворец»). Вероятно, разные этапы согласования; отражено в блоке противоречий. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: Will “GogolFest” take place in Kyiv in September 2026? **A:** Yes, the festival is not being cancelled outright: on 16–20 September 2026, part of the artistic programme will be held, including a visual programme and film screenings at the “Kinodvor”, as well as the “Nahorna” residency and the “Art Squat”. ### Q: Why have the large-scale events been moved to spring? **A:** The organisers explain this by safety: in conditions of shelling they do not want to create large crowds of people, so the major spectacular projects have been postponed until spring. ### Q: Which specific projects have been moved to spring? **A:** The “Angels of Freedom” project, featuring the Kyiv Camerata, the “Kyiv” choir and Maryana Hovlanko, has been moved to spring, as have the major performances by Dakh Daughters, DakhaBrakha and Schmalgauzen.