We have completed our announced survey among artists from all art disciplines!

Over 60 individuals from the fields of photography, performing arts, literature, music, and theater were reached out to and interviewed, which has provided us with valuable insights and contacts within the scene. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved. This survey, I can say this much in advance, produced unexpected results. But first of all, I would like to apologize for the delay. It is still not easy to work effectively in a war-torn country. It is a tough process and I thank you for your patience and commitment.

But now to the survey. We not only asked general questions about the current situation in the art scene but also specifically inquired about the particular needs of the artists in their current circumstances.

Kyiv has transformed into a contradictory world of everyday life and the horrors of war. Cafés and theaters are open, the supermarkets are well-stocked – a semblance of normality. Yet the curfews that have been in effect for two years, abruptly ending the day at 10:00 PM, shape the lives of the residents. Normality and absurdity alternate, and fears of the future gnaw at the substance. One might not even want to imagine what it looks like in smaller towns or the countryside.

A MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM

Source: Article “Ukraine invasion: ‘Welcome to Hell’ – the message facing Russian invaders as Kyiv prepares for the fight of its life” /// Sky News

People are tired, living from day to day without long-term plans, in a city that has fallen silent at night like during the pandemic times for two years now.

The artists talk about burdensome thoughts and tormenting questions of conscience with which they must somehow learn to live. They report images and events that they cannot process alone and which significantly hinder their work. This came as a surprise to us and truly touched us.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Health estimates that up to 10 million people are at risk of mental illnesses such as depression or post-traumatic stress disorder, with an estimated 3 to 4 million people potentially receiving medication.

A >>sociological study shows, that the population could “age” by 10 to 15 years due to psycho-emotional stress. Illnesses that usually occur in older age could manifest 10 to 15 years earlier. Artists are particularly vulnerable in this situation due to uncertain working conditions, lack of income, self-doubt, sensitivity, empathy, and the stigma of being “left behind.”