Analytical reviews - Беларуская Рада культуры

Belarusian Culture: Review (April – June ’26)

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 14:25:17 +0000

Literature: Waiting for great prose Cinema: Victory in Krakow and the ubiquitous "extremists” Theatre: The leadership is dominated by security forces, and the repertoire is war. But there is also something good Music: Сancellation of major festivals and emergence of new ones Art: From targeted changes to institutional dismantling Traditional culture: Kupalle, detentions and the district police officer/folklorist Literature: Waiting for great prose Belarusian literature has continued to live…

Belarusian Culture: Review (January – March ’26)

Mon, 18 May 2026 07:47:36 +0000

Literature: The book pedlar's job requires courage Cinema: Anonymous people and Propaganda Theatre: The completion of the personnel revolution and scandals in the capital's collectives Music: The return of concerts to Belarus and international success Art: Global victories and local losses Literature: The book pedlar's job requires courage The beginning of 2026 brought the Belarusian book community another test: losses, delays and new restrictions changed the landscape of literary life. The…

Belarusian Culture: Review (October – December ’25)

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 10:07:35 +0000

Literature: The Hunger Games in the Curiosity Shop Cinema: Both Sides of the Border Theatre: Remodelling Toward a Russian DNA Music: The Dissolution of the band Petlia Pristrastiya [Noose of Passion], Alexei Khlestov’s return, and a popular festival gets cancelled Traditional Culture: Exhibitions, New Books, and Anniversaries of Belarusian Universities Art: PRA _BEL. Beyond Foreignness Literature: The Hunger Games in the Curiosity Shop The political conditions of late 2025 brought relief to…

2025: A Year in Belarusian Culture

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 08:51:48 +0000

The Analytical Group of the Belarusian Council for Culture have summed up the results of 2025. Here, we have compiled a top ten list of the most notable trends and significant events (in accordance with assessments made by our experts) within each of the customarily reviewed fields - literature, music, cinema, theatre, traditional culture, and visual art. This year, we witnessed major successes of Belarusians on the global cultural scene, as well as the reality of severe repressions within the…

Belarusian Culture: Review (July – September ’25)

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 16:17:22 +0000

Literature: A Prose-Free National Prize and Growing Activity Abroad Cinema: Self-Identification and Propaganda Theatre: A Cocktail of Repressions with a Small Pinch of Positivity Music: new names and major losses Traditional Culture: Old and New trends Art: Pra_bel, The Time of Women, the Cynicism Fair and Contemporary Fashion Literature: A Prose-Free National Prize and Growing Activity Abroad In the last two summer months and during the traditionally bohemian September the Belarusian literary…

Belarusian Culture: Review (April – June ’25)

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 08:25:51 +0000

Literature: national idea, awards and donuts Cinema: The Welder from Brest wins in Sheffield. The Death of Directors Theatre: with Russia and "Victory” Music: The return of major festivals and international success Traditional culture: trends in Belarus and abroad Art: Heads without Bodies and a Capitoline Wolf in a Wheelchair Literature: national idea, awards and donuts April, May, and June in global climate and politics were marked by an alternation of abnormal frosts and heat, which,…

Belarusian photography 2025: a big overview

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 21:38:49 +0000

Like other areas of art, Belarusian photography is looking for support after 2020. The infrastructure is destroyed, the community is divided into those who stayed in Belarus and are forced to self-censor, and those who left and have more freedom, but struggle with the challenges of emigration. Photojournalists suffered first and foremost. In 2020, they were the voice of the people on the streets - with their help, the world learned about what was happening in the country. In 2025, Belarusian…

Belarusian academic music 2025: a big overview

Sun, 27 Apr 2025 21:31:37 +0000

Academic music as an art genre is a long-term phenomenon. Like little else, it requires maturity, perspective, broad horizons, connections, and intercultural communication. This involves relying on traditions, long-term specialized education of cultural figures, creators and performers, the formation of strong creative and performing schools, the preservation of musical material and recordings, and also constant work with the listener - long, gradual, and, of course, not cheap at all. Such a…

Belarusian Culture: Review (January – March ’25)

Wed, 23 Apr 2025 21:28:12 +0000

Literature. Parallel universes of Belarusian literature Cinema: "Swan Song" vs. "Black Castle” Theatre: new financial rules and an actor-minister Music: the pressure of the past and the "pleasure of confrontation” Traditional culture: Belarusian bands win at the Polish festival, and straw spiders become a popular symbol Art: Beads of natural beauty scattered across a dark swamp Literature. Parallel universes of Belarusian literature The political background of the cultural life of Belarusians…

Belarusian Culture: Review (April – September ’24)

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 15:30:16 +0000

Cinema: The important premiere of Mara Tamkovič’s film and the struggle for the presence on the cinema map of Europe Traditional culture: harlačkas (women's neck decoration) come into fashion, and folk songs expand presence in current releases Theatre: repression, turbulence and nullification Music: Slowed down Brownian motion, or Preparation for preparation Art: body language, actionism and appeal to nature Cinema: The important premiere of Mara Tamkovič’s film and the struggle for the…