Bouquet Kyiv Stage cofounder Utkin: 90% of my earnings go to cultural and charity projects
The eighth Bouquet Kyiv Stage high art festival, currently underway at the National Reserve "Saint Sophia of Kyiv" in the capital, is being held, like its predecessors, on a non-commercial basis and is a gift to the city, noted cofounder of the festival, UaRms majority owner, and Kvazar-Micro founder Yevheniy Utkin.
"For all these 30 years of working in culture, there has never been any commercial element. We never sell tickets (entry to the festival is included with admission to Saint Sophia of Kyiv). This festival is a gift to the city where I've lived for 43 years," Utkin said in an exclusive interview with Interfax-Ukraine.
According to him, the festival is financed with family funds. "Ninety percent of what I earn, we spend on cultural and charitable projects. I once created the largest European technology company, took it public, and later went into investment. Today, I have two main focuses – defense and art," he said.
Utkin emphasized that this year's festival theme is "The Heart of Europe Beats in Ukraine," adding that the test of EU unity is taking place on the front line. "When there are debates about whether we deserve EU membership, I want to remind people that this European Union was born here in Kyiv, in Saint Sophia, back in the time of Yaroslav the Wise. We must return to the European family as equal cofounders," he said.
Commenting on the rising demand for culture during the war, Utkin said conflict sharpens emotions. "We live in complete uncertainty about tomorrow. That's why some people go to theaters, museums, exhibitions seeking catharsis, while others go for inspiration. I see the world differently now: even the grass under my feet, I perceive it differently than before the war. People are drawn to life, and for them, art is the quintessence of life," he explained.
He also spoke about the festival's symbol created by Kyiv artist Oleksandr Dubovyk. "For us, the bouquet is the quintessence and the main metaphorical symbol. We live in a post-postmodernist era – when the real and the virtual are intertwined, when the metaverse spreads across the planet and billions live in these networks, in that imagined world. We are diverse, like flowers – roses, daisies, thistles. And today is the time to gather them into a bouquet," Utkin said.
"A bouquet is a symbol of gathering and of giving. When you give a bouquet, you're not thinking about profit. That also reflects our work. You don't expect a return on investment," he added.
