This literary and artistic initiative brings together creators, local historians, and residents of Zakarpattia to implement a weekly theatre and storytelling program for local youth and teenagers whose families were displaced by war. During regular workshops, participants develop skills in acting, stage movement, and vocal work while exploring the multicultural past of their region. They meet with local historians and tradition bearers, work with family archives and legends, and study social theatre methods to artistically transform these materials. The practice culminates in a large-scale, site-specific outdoor performance staged directly among the ruins of Kankiv Castle beneath Chorna Hora.
Over the course of the fellowship, we continue to develop a community-based literary and artistic initiative in Vynohradiv while deepening our work with children, memory, and local heritage through theatre and storytelling.
For several years, the literary and artistic marathon Impulse of the City has brought together writers, artists, cultural practitioners, and local residents in a series of readings, conversations, performances, and creative encounters. What interests us most about this space is its ability to connect people who might not otherwise meet, creating opportunities for dialogue across generations, experiences, and cultural backgrounds.
During the fellowship, we are expanding this work by running a weekly programme for children and teenagers from Vynohradiv and the surrounding area, including both local residents and young people whose families have been displaced by war. Through theatre, movement, voice work, music, and collective creative practices, participants explore questions of belonging, memory, and identity.
A particular focus of this work is listening to stories. Together, we meet local historians, elders, tradition bearers, and community members whose memories reflect the multicultural character of Zakarpattia. Participants are encouraged to engage with family histories, local legends, personal memories, and stories connected to the places where they live.
Alongside this practical work, we are studying community-based theatre methods that use memory and storytelling as artistic material, drawing inspiration from long-term cultural practices developed in borderland communities. We are especially interested in approaches that help young people transform family and local histories into collective artistic expression while strengthening relationships across generations.
Throughout the fellowship, we are creating a space where children can speak in their own voices, discover the richness of the communities around them, and develop a deeper connection to the place they call home. In a region shaped by many languages, cultures, and histories, this process offers an opportunity to cultivate curiosity, empathy, and a sense of shared belonging.
The fellowship culminates in a site-specific outdoor performance created by the participants themselves. Drawing on the stories, memories, and encounters gathered throughout the year, the performance takes place among the ruins of Kankiv Castle beneath Chorna Hora — a place that continues to occupy a special place in the imagination and cultural memory of the community.
At its heart, this work is an exploration of how stories are passed between generations, how communities remember, and how young people are active participants in carrying those stories into the future.
