XIV Moscow Festival "Traditions and Modernity": Global Dialogue of Cultures Successfully Held Despite Political Challenges
The XIV Moscow International Festival of Arts “Traditions and Modernity” organized by the Moscow Public Foundation for Support of Culture and Development of Contemporary Art under the leadership of Vera Kiseleva took place from May 29 to June 1, 2025. The festival, which became a bridge between civilizations, united artists from 60 countries on the platform of the International Exhibition Complex ART-SPACE.
Despite the difficult geopolitical situation, the festival successfully fulfilled its mission, demonstrating the power of art as a means of unification and mutual understanding.
Global scale: BRICS, Africa and the "goodwill gesture"
A special feature of the XIV Festival was the expansion of the geography of participants. Along with the traditional representation of the BRICS countries (Brazil, India, China, South Africa), the festival welcomed artists from Ethiopia, UAE, Saudi Arabia and 12 African states, including Congo, Mali and Senegal. As a “manifesto of peacefulness,” the organizers decided to allow artists from the European Union and the United States to participate, despite the current political tensions.
The key exhibits of the festival were a collection of African art (800 items), works by the Mamontov Gallery, Grigory Potocki Gallery, Askeri Gallery and other prominent artists. Mamontov Gallery, Grigory Potocki, Askeri Gallery and other prominent artists.
Key Outcomes:
– Attendance: The festival attracted about 25,000 visitors. Special attention was paid to providing access to art for privileged categories of citizens, who were able not only to familiarize themselves with the exposition, but also to take part in master classes, lectures and concerts.
– Diplomatic success: The participation of delegates from 38 countries, especially from “non-Western” regions, strengthened Moscow’s role as a center of the alternative art market.
– “Art without borders is not a slogan, but a necessity”, – Vera Kiseleva emphasized in her interview to TASS, summarizing the results of the festival.
The XIV Festival “Traditions and Modernity” once again confirmed Russia’s potential as a platform for cultural consolidation of the global South and Western countries.
In 2026, the Moscow International Festival of Arts “Traditions and Modernity” will transform into the Moscow International Arts Week, which is expected to change the cultural landscape
