Friends of St. Petersburg festival of creative and educational projects launched
RELEASE
Release
The opening ceremony for the first edition of the Friends of St. Petersburg festival of creative and educational projects took place today at the Peter and Paul Fortress. The festival was organized by Gazprom and is held under the auspices of the Friends of St. Petersburg social project of the Company.
Taking part in the ceremony were Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee, and Boris Piotrovsky, Vice Governor of St. Petersburg.
The festival is aimed at promoting the preservation of the cultural heritage and further development of St. Petersburg among the residents and guests of the city.
In 2022, the festival is held across 33 museum, exhibition and concert spaces, as well as the city sites that will offer guided tours, lectures, artistic meetings, master classes, concerts, contemporary art exhibitions & installations, and film screenings.
As part of the festival, the Petropolis exhibition was launched today in the Peter and Paul Fortress. The exhibition was prepared by the participants of the student project titled “From the City to the World. The Great Embassy: Designing the Future” which was initiated by Gazprom as part of the celebration of the 350th anniversary of the birth of Peter I. The exhibition explores the territory development at the Peter and Paul Fortress and the State Museum of the History of St. Petersburg and presents the past, present and future of the city through the studies of the history lab experts.
In addition, the exhibition titled “Immersion in the Era of Peter I” arranged by the Underwater Research Center of the Russian Geographical Society was opened at the Peter and Paul Fortress. The exhibitions showcases household items and authentic artifacts of the 17th-18th centuries which were obtained during research expeditions for searching and surveying sunken ships from the era of Peter I. The expeditions are carried out with support from Gazprom.
“I am confident that the festival will become a vivid cultural annual event in the life of St. Petersburg. For several decades, Gazprom and the St. Petersburg Administration have been pursuing joint projects in various spheres in our beloved city, namely, projects in urban improvement, healthcare, science, sports, and, of course, culture. We are running several hundreds of such projects, so it is hardly possible to recount them here.
Nevertheless, when implementing these projects, we are always guided by the principles of continuity and preservation of identity – the cultural and historical identity of St. Petersburg, which is the only capital of the Russian Empire.
The festival unites leading cultural and educational institutions of our city, so that students and young specialists in creative professions can gain new experience, new skills and new knowledge, as well as join us in addressing the tasks that pertain to the development of our city and engage in our projects,” said Alexey Miller.
Background
The Friends of St. Petersburg comprehensive social project, which is pursued by Gazprom, makes it possible for students and young professionals to take part in the preservation and restoration of the cultural and historical heritage of St. Petersburg, as well as to gain unique professional experience required for developing the best traditions of the Leningrad school of conservation.
The project was launched in 2020 with the support of the Committee for State Control, Use and Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments under the St. Petersburg Administration. As part of the project, educational events are held for the students of educational institutions specializing in art, architecture & civil construction, and conservation.
Gazprom actively takes part in the preparation and holding of ceremonial events celebrating the 350th anniversary of the birth of Peter I. The celebrations are taking place all around Russia.