From September 11 to 17, the International Festival of Youth took place in Ekaterunburg. One of the key cultural venues of the Festival was the International Exhibition of Young Artists, showcasing 1,000 paintings by artists from 100 countries. As many as 10,000 people visited it during the Festival. The International Exhibition of Young Artists was run by Tavrida.Art in partnership with the Union of Russian Artists and with the support of the Presidential Foundation for Cultural Initiatives.

The IFY – 2026 was held as part of the Youth and Children national project, with Tavrida.ART serving as operator of its cultural program.

The International Exhibition of Young Artists brought together classical painting, graphic art, contemporary visual techniques, as well as digital art and virtual reality technology. The exhibition's starting point featured three landmark works of 20th-century Russian painting, displayed as originals: "Girls on a Day Off" by Alexander Deineka, "Chukotka Spring" by Andrey Yakovlev, and "Silence" by Alexander Laktionov – each canvas capturing images of young people from the last century, their everyday life, character, and the mood of their time. 1,000 works by young artists were brought to Ekaterinburg from around the world. National traditions, landscapes of the artists' home regions, everyday scenes, and personal stories – together, these images formed a larger conversation about cultural identity, memory, family, connection to one's native land, and the future.

"The Union of Russian Artists carried out an extensive selection process for the participants and works featured in this exhibition. Thanks to that work, guests had the unique opportunity to see such a wealth and diversity of visual art in one space, and to get to know representatives of different artistic schools and creative directions. Young artists always bring something new and unexpected. In many ways, they're the ones who determine where art will go next, which is exactly what makes watching their work so interesting," noted Alla Polkovnichenko, corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Arts and one of the curators of the International Exhibition of Young Artists.

Among the works on display were pieces by finalists of the international competition "Picture of the World." Visitors to the exhibition could see works by artists from Russia, Kyrgyzstan, China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Senegal, Congo, Colombia, the Republic of Korea, and Cameroon.

"It was interesting for me to see how differently artists from different countries talk about their cultures, families, and home regions. At the same time, many of the themes turn out to be understandable without any translation – through emotion, imagery, and personal stories. It's especially striking to see works by young artists from so many countries displayed side by side. This exhibition helps you understand just how diverse the modern world is, and how art can bring people together," shared Naveen Sahu, a guest from India, describing his impressions.

Inspired by the artists' paintings, exhibition visitors could create their own works using a digital AI panel. Generated images appeared in real time on a "living" canvas, and the installation's domed shape created a fully immersive art experience. Over the course of the exhibition, more than 3,000 images were generated this way.

In the virtual reality hall, visitors could use documentary-accurate imagery and authentic sound to be transported to some of the planet's most remote locations. Antarctica and Easter Island turned out to be the most popular destinations for VR journeys.

On the exhibition's final day, international artists who had come to the Festival in Ekaterinburg and personally presented their work donated pieces to the Tavrida arts cluster. In total, 10 paintings were donated, from artists from India, Uzbekistan, Indonesia, Bahrain, Ethiopia, and Zambia.

"There's a common belief that when the world feels uncertain and full of tragedy, art is what's supposed to save people. That's why international festivals like this one show people all over the world that we want to live and preserve our culture into the future. It's a great platform to show everyone what we have. This is the face of the world," shared Tewodros Abebaw Zeleke, an artist from Ethiopia.

Overview:

The International Festival of Youth, held as part of the Youth and Children national project, was taking place in Ekaterinburg from September 11 to 17, 2026. The decree establishing the event had been signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin on December 29, 2025. The Festival was being held under the motto "Follow Your Dream."

Participants of the IFY – 2026 included 10,000 young leaders from 191 countries, including 5,000 Russians and 5,000 international citizens. Among them were leading representatives of creative industries and the arts, public administration, science and education, sport, entrepreneurship, media, digitalization and IT, and civic engagement – people who are already shaping the future of their countries and the world. Continuing the successful practice established at the World Youth Festival 2024, those invited included 1,000 teenagers aged 14 to 17 – 500 from Russia and 500 from abroad. The Children's Program was organized by the Movement of the First.

The World Youth Festival took place from March 1 to 7, 2024, in Sirius, in accordance with a decree of Russian President Vladimir Putin, aimed at developing international youth cooperation. The WYF-2024 brought together 20,000 young leaders from 190 countries.

In line with instructions from Russia’s President on preserving and building on the legacy of the World Youth Festival, festival events are now held annually across Russia. The World Youth Festival Directorate continues its work to strengthen international youth cooperation and build a community of young people who care about the future of the world.

Tavrida.Art Autonomous Non-Profit Organization develops the Tavrida art cluster – a platform of opportunities for young cultural and arts professionals that brings together the summer schools of Meganom Academy of Creative Industries, Tavrida.ART Young Art Festival, a federal network of art residencies, and other projects. Art cluster events are included in the federal project “Russia – the Country of Opportunities” under the Youth and Children national project and have been held since 2015.