The winners of "Theatrical Volga" went on a trip to "GITISFEST".

      As a result of the VII season of the "Theatrical Volga" festival, representatives of Tatarstan became laureates in several nominations, the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Tatarstan reported. The children's theater studio "Apush" took first place in the category "Best Children's Performance" with the production "Once at the Fair." In the nomination "Best Directing Work" among children's performances, Milyaush Shakhutdinova and Zulfiya Valeeva were recognized, while in the category "Best Artistic Design," Anastasia Buzuneeva was noted. Additionally, Milana Mutalibova from Tatarstan became a laureate of the poster and flyer competition in the age group of 18 to 30 years. The winners of the festival of children's and youth theater groups "Theatrical Volga" received a creative trip and the right to participate in the international cultural and educational project "GITISFEST. Theatrical Volga 2026" as a reward. The project won the grant competition of the Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives. The project is being implemented by the Autonomous Non-Profit Organization "Center for Educational and Cultural Programs 'ATMOSPHERE OF IMPRESSIONS'" with the support of the Russian Institute of Theatre Arts - GITIS. The main events will take place from September 1 to 7, 2026, on a themed riverboat with stops in the cities of the Volga Federal District - Saratov, Samara, Kazan, and Nizhny Novgorod, as well as in Kostroma. The theme of the festival is announced as "Days of Russian Literature on the Volga." Laureates of "Theatrical Volga" (the best groups from children's and youth theaters from Tatarstan, Udmurtia, Perm Krai, Penza, Samara, and Saratov regions), students and teachers from GITIS, theater universities in the Volga and Central Federal Districts, as well as invited colleagues from friendly BRICS countries will participate in the trip. The creative program will be based on the works of Russian writers and artists, turning the festival-laboratory into a platform for cultural dialogue and the popularization of Russian culture and language in Russia, China, and Brazil. The format of the project represents a creative experimental journey: participants will connect visual art and literature, interpret paintings through texts, create stage sketches, and rehearse in unusual conditions during the movement of the riverboat. The results of the work will be shown in the ports of call, turning each stop into a mini-premiere. GITIS Rector Grigory Zaslavsky noted that receiving the grant is primarily an opportunity to gather in one place those who would hardly meet without this support. According to him, these are students and graduates of GITIS, future directors from China and Brazil, amateur groups - laureates of the "Theatrical Volga" festival, as well as students from theater educational institutions in the Volga and Central Federal Districts. He added that they will work with Russian classics - both literature and painting.

      The anniversary list of figures for 2026 - from Bulgakov and Leskov to Kandinsky and Malevich - provides participants with rich material for stage experiments and visual solutions. According to the organizers, this project is not only an award but also a starting point for new creative contacts and international exchange. The "Theatrical Volga" festival is held with the support of the Office of the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Volga Federal District under the patronage of the Plenipotentiary in the Volga Federal District Igor Komarov and corresponds to the objectives of the national project "Youth and Children."

      Photo: Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Tatarstan