About Us

Cultural photographic centre PhotoCULT was established in December 2011. Establishment of the center was preceded by: Photo Festival ChernihivPhotoFest (2010-2011), semiannual educational program for photographers (2011), activity of Kyiv Photographic Society (creative meetings, workshops from 2009 to 2011), exhibition activity in Kyiv, Moscow, Bratislava, Cologne (2009-2011).

Establishment of the centre became a logical grouping of the different directions of cultural photographic life and consolidation efforts, capabilities and plans of the one title, with clearly defined goals and objectives to achieve them.  

Mission of the Centre – creation of public interest in photography as a visual art for the integration of photographic culture in general cultural space. Center sees its task in creation of public interest in the history of photography , its modern trends, promotes understanding  of the art of photography as a visual language, creates a platform for educational programs of studying photography.  

Activity of cultural photographic centre PhotoCULT focuses on two main areas: enlightenment and education.

Enlightenment

The Centre develops and carries out programs for creation of public interest to photography culture.

The Centre organizes exhibition activity and holds separate exhibitions of contemporary and classic photography as well as Festivals, Photo Biannual and other large-scale events in the sphere of visual culture (Festivals VIZII International visual culture festival (2013), The Days of Czech Photography and The Days of Lithuanian Photography (2012).

The Centre favors the development of photography market by holding fairs and auctions on sale of photography as an object of art, informs prospective buyers about mechanism of price policy, of storage conditions and exposing of photography thereby promoting interest to collecting. The Centre assists to photobook development and providing meetings, photobook presentations and discussions in mobile library format "Photobook.CULT".

Education

The Centre creates and carries out humanitarian educational programs for photography. Educational programs are first of all oriented to comprehension of place and role of photography in contemporary visual culture. Programs include lections on history of photography in the context of general history of art, courses on artistic thinking, creation of art projects, work with color and form, foundation photography skills.   Programs of the Centre are oriented on broad studies of visual art that is why films and video art screenings and performances are held within the bounds of educational programs.  Educational programs of the Centre also provide technical photography training (workshops, practical sessions, seminars).

The Centre creates a discussion club where we hold conferences, discussions, round table meetings, creative meetings for discussions of theoretical and practical questions as well as for exposure and solution of actual problems in Ukrainian photography.  The Centre creates space for self-education: a specialized library is opening in the nearest future, a photo books shop already works and periodicals on photography are distributed.

The Centre holds photography contests which draw attention of the general public to crucial aspects of human life and environment, reveals talented authors and supports realization of their future projects.

Archival activity is a prospective area of the Centre functioning

In order to save national photography heritage the Centre forms digital archives of the works of Ukrainian authors (both contemporary and those who went down in history), keeps a special register of photographs, holds its cataloging.

Creation of the united photo archive, creation of photography museum, publishing series of albums of Ukrainian photography history are in plans of the Centre.