All Together Festival
The All Together Festival annually gathers heritage professionals from across Ukraine to engage children and teenagers through interactive events, workshops, and educational activities. It fosters cultural resilience, social inclusion, and professional capacity-building in the face of ongoing war-related challenges.
The All Together Festival, initiated in 2015 as Arsenal of Ideas, is organised annually by Mystetskyi Arsenal in Kyiv. The event offers an inclusive platform where children, teenagers, educators, and heritage professionals engage with Ukraine’s cultural, historical, and natural heritage in creative and participative ways.
The festival takes place in the 18th-century Mystetskyi Arsenal building, a former armory that has become a leading centre for culture and heritage in Ukraine – a symbolic space where historical architecture and contemporary practice meet.
The festival brings together a diverse range of participants, including museums, schools, civic initiatives, and creative studios. Each year, approximately 40 organisations present their activities, while about 70 interactive workshops, performances, and site-specific art projects emphasise the festival’s interdisciplinary nature.
The event is designed not only for young audiences but also as a learning space for professionals. It enables museums and cultural actors to share strategies, educational tools, and experiences with peers from across the country, contributing to the development of new methodologies in heritage education and audience engagement.
Central to the festival’s success is the emphasis on co-creation and exchange. An extensive pre-festival capacity-building programme supports heritage professionals through training, networking, and mentorship, particularly focusing on museums from frontline regions. In 2023, travel grants enabled ten institutions from regions severely affected by the ongoing Russian war against Ukraine to attend, with five receiving additional support to present educational projects at the festival. In 2024, the number of supported institutions doubled.
Inclusivity is deeply embedded in the festival’s approach. Special efforts are made to accommodate people with disabilities, military veterans, internally displaced persons, and young children, all of whom have free admission. Notable initiatives include learning sign language with professional interpreters, adaptations for individuals with hearing and visual impairments, and exhibitions showcasing works by neurodivergent artists.
The ongoing war has intensified the festival’s significance. In a context of instability and loss, it has become a space where culture helps sustain a sense of continuity, belonging, and hope. For children and teenagers living under wartime stress, the festival provides a safe environment to reflect, connect, and imagine their role in the future of Ukraine.
Since its foundation, the festival has attracted nearly 9,000 visitors over two years, including 5,000 in 2023 alone. The event attracts wide media coverage and online engagement, reflecting its importance and popularity across Ukraine and beyond. Supporters of the festival include the EU-funded House of Europe programme, the Partnership Fund for a Resilient Ukraine, and the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation.
“This professional hub, hosted in Kyiv’s iconic Mystetskyi Arsenal, offers grants, mentoring, and training for heritage institutions – fostering professional growth and collaboration,” the Awards’ Jury commented.
“The All Together Festival is a powerful symbol of resilience and continuity in the context of war, with significant impact despite extremely challenging circumstances,” the Jury highlighted.
Contact: Anna Pohribna | Mystetskyi Arsenal | pohribna@artarsenal.gov.ua | www.artarsenal.in.ua/en