"Tavrida.ART" at the WYF Assembly: how dreams turn into projects
"Tavrida.ART" at the WYF Assembly: how dreams turn into projects
Sep 23, 2025, 2:45 PM

At the World Youth Festival Assembly, which was held in Nizhny Novgorod from September 17 to 21 on behalf of the President of Russia and brought together 2,000 participants from 120 countries, young people learned how dreams turn into projects and ideas into real initiatives. Residents of the "Tavrida" art cluster shared their experience, telling personal stories of professional growth and the opportunities they had for developing in a creative environment. The head of the art cluster, Ksenia Artemyeva, spoke at the case session "Producing the Future. How are new music formats born?" and became the moderator of the author's talk show "The Path of Young Creators: the art of turning dreams into Projects."

On September 19, a discussion on the future of the music industry took place at the World Youth Festival Assembly, where Russian and international experts met. Among the participants are Ksenia Artemyeva, CEO of the "Tavrida" art cluster, singer and blogger Maria Yankovskaya, Venezuelan producer and multi-instrumentalist Leonardo Perez, Ivan Nikiforchin, founder of the Academy of Russian Music Symphony Orchestra, and Zoya Novikova, head of VK Fest. The participants discussed the transformation of business models, the challenges of digital platforms, and how new music formats are becoming part of the country's cultural code.

Ksenia Artemyeva spoke about the potential of the art cluster and stressed that accessibility is the main thing. According to Ksenia, art is not only inspiration, but also hard work. Young people can participate in the "Tavrida" programs for free, such as the "Music Laboratory". There they create projects in professional studios, work on musical performances, performances of artists, technologies and promotion. The head of the art cluster added that the numerous "Tavrida.ART" programs allows you to perform together with famous Russian artists and develop your ideas within the creative community.

The "Tavrida.ART" presented the talk show "The Path of Young Creators: Art of Turning Dreams into Projects" on September, 20. The format combined creative interactivity and presentations by experts, who, thanks to the art cluster, found support and opportunities for development. Participants shared stories of professional growth and tools for implementing ideas. They talked about how the ideas of young musicians, artists, and producers are turning into sustainable cultural initiatives that can influence society.

The moderator of the talk show was Ksenia Artemyeva, head of the "Tavrida.ART" cluster.

"Tavrida.ART" is the largest art cluster in Russia, where a real City of Young Creators has been created. The city is open and hospitable. Anyone who wants to develop in the creative industries, study, find like-minded people and be inspired by the atmosphere can get into it. For many, Tavrida is becoming a powerful start in the creative profession," said Ksenia Artemyeva.

Svetlana Anufrieva, Minister of Youth Policy of the Nizhny Novgorod Region, Lyubov Maretskaya, director and producer, Alyona Mukhina, head of special projects at the Sovremennik Theater in Moscow, Tengiz Shanava, Ambassador of Tavrida in Abkhazia, poet and musician Sergey Nikhaenko, and Valerian Kremlin Dumas, a participant in the summer school from Africa, shared their stories of professional development with the participation of the art cluster.

Svetlana Anufrieva was the head of the "Tavrida.ART" residence in Nizhny Novgorod in the past and knows firsthand that working with creative youth requires a special approach. Young people need not only to be supported, but also to create an environment for them where dreams turn into projects.

"In Nizhny Novgorod, we saw that talented youth can prove themselves if there is a community and platforms. Today, our photographers, musicians, and authors are already working at major festivals and federal venues. Cooperation with Tavrida enhances this effect. Young people get a unique opportunity to study, create and implement their ideas both in Nizhny Novgorod and at the national level," said Svetlana Anufrieva.

Valerian Kremlin Dumas, a designer and media trainer from Benin, a graduate of the Meganom Academy Summer School shared his experience of studying at the "Tavrida.ART" programs: “At Tavrida platform, I realized that culture unites faster than economics or politics. Working together with our Russian colleagues, we spoke the same language — the language of art. My dream is to create a book "Ornaments of the world as a cultural code" and I am sure that thanks to such communities as Tavrida, this is possible."

Director and screenwriter Lyubov Maretskaya, winner of the Alexander Tvardovsky Medal, author of the feature-length documentary "Father", which received a grant from the Presidential Foundation for Cultural Initiatives, spoke about the support of the art cluster and its impact on personal and professional transformation. Lyubov was a participant in the #SVOeKINO program (the "Tavrida.ART" project), which unites young cinematographers, participants and eyewitnessers of the special military operation's events. The young director showed how honest and emotional stories are born thanks to this format, and aspiring authors get a chance to take the first step into cinema and realize their ideas.

"I've always dreamed of making movies, but it took me a long time to get started. I found support and inspiration at Tavrida, where I was able to realize my first full-length work. The film "Father" is a story about my father, a military priest who stood up for his family and Homeland in 2014. For me, this is not only a personal story, but also an example of the strength of the spirit and faith of a simple Russian person," Lyubov Maretskaya said.

Member of the special military operation, poet, artist of the "Tavrida.ART" music label Sergey Nikhaenko emphasized the importance of sincerity in creativity. The young musician's history with "Tavrida" began back in 2018, when he first came to the forum and was amazed by the atmosphere.

"During my five days at the Tavrida, I received a load of knowledge and inspiration that lasted for years. I come from Lugansk, and for a long time I did not have the opportunity to record and release music. But after returning from the special military operation zone, I felt the support of the art cluster. I was accepted into a project where I was able not only to perform, but also to write music, one of my songs became the soundtrack to the TV series on Channel One. Today, I myself am helping the guys from the #SVOyaMUSIC program to find their voice and I believe that Tavrida is a place where you can return again and again, discovering new aspects for yourself," Sergey Nikhaenko shared.

During the two years of work, the label "Tavrida.ART" has released over 900 songs, which have garnered over 250 million listens on various streaming platforms. The tracks make it to the top charts, and are featured in movies, TV series, and TV projects.

Today, "Tavrida.ART" is a real living community where dreams take shape and ideas become projects. Here, young creators find support, share experiences, create new meanings, and return to their regions with ready-made initiatives. Tavrida unites talents from Russia and the world, turning the energy of young people into cultural projects that shape the future of the country.

The World Youth Festival Assembly has become a new page of international cooperation. This year, over 62,000 people from 175 countries applied for participation, and the program included 2,000 young leaders with proven projects and achievements. The festival was organized by the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs (Rosmolodezh), co-organized by the Government of the Nizhny Novgorod Region, and operated by the World Youth Festival Directorate. The partner program has been joined by leading Russian and international organizations, including "Tavrida.ART", VK, Russian Railways, RT, Rossotrudnichestvo, Rosatom, the Russian "Znanie" (Knowledge) Society, the Soyuzmultfilm film studio and others.

Overview:

Autonomous non-profit organization "Tavrida.ART" is developing the "Tavrida.ART" Cluster, a platform of opportunities for young cultural and artistic figures that unites the summer schools of the Meganom Academy of Creative Industries and the "Tavrida.ART" Festival of Young Artists, the federal network of art residences and other projects. The events of the art cluster are included in the federal project "Russia — the Country of Opportunities" of the national project "Youth and Children" and have been implementing since 2015.


We're in touch!

Any other questions or suggestions? Write to us. We will be happy to reply to the email address you specify.