75+70. The Vitebsk Culture Center celebrated two anniversary dates

"The Best Cultural Center, because it's in Vitebsk" – this slogan became the headline at the celebration dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the main cultural institution of the regional center and its 70th creative season. The festive event took place on the stage of the "Vitebsk" Concert Hall.

To be more precise, this was the final part of the anniversary.

Earlier, the "Vitebsk" Cultural Center invited all residents of the city on the Dvina River to an Open Day. Those who wished, and there were many, attended master classes by talented teachers. They not only got acquainted with creative groups but also tried their hand at various art forms.

They peeked into the "backstage world" – at rehearsals and even at the "Harvest Festival" in Mazurino Park.

And, as a must, they took a walk through the iconic places of the "Slavianski Bazaar" International Arts Festival, the directorate of which is located at the "Vitebsk" Cultural Center.

The acquaintance with the "Best Cultural Center," its history of formation and success, continued with a photo exhibition in the concert hall's square, as well as a presentation of a book about the institution's history.

The anniversary of the creative team can be represented in numbers: 75 touching years of memory, 75 hundred unique stories, 75 million inspired people, 70 decades of special workers, 70 thousand talented children. This is what makes up the "Vitebsk" Cultural Center.

– Today, the "Vitebsk" Cultural Center is the only institution in the country whose activities consist of the work of branches, creative groups, and projects, both traditional and new, – noted Gleb Lapitsky, the General Director of the Center.

The first part of the celebration in the concert hall was dedicated to honoring the team and awarding its employees. Before the ceremony, congratulations were heard from friends of the Vitebsk Culture Center – famous artists, producers from different countries – participants and guests of the star festivals organized by the institution's creative team. And everyone agreed on one thing: this is the best Culture Center, and largely thanks to it, Vitebsk is considered the cultural capital of Belarus.

This is also stated in the welcome address of the Chairperson of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly, Natalya Kochanova, which was read by the Chairman of the Regional Executive Committee, Alexander Subbotin.

– It is symbolic that in the first difficult post-war years, when the country was being restored, a decision was made to create a cultural institution in Vitebsk. At that time, the government considered it very important. Over the past years, you have proven that you bring good, bright, and eternal things to the world. International festivals not only shape the country's image but also help to color our lives with bright colors, – added the head of the region and presented the Certificate of Honor of the Council of the Republic to Marina Romanovskaya, Deputy General Director for Special Projects of the Vitebsk Culture Center.

The head of the folk youth theater "Koleso", Vladislava Tsivka, was awarded the Certificate of Honor of the Regional Executive Committee.

A number of employees received Letters of Acknowledgment from the Chairperson of the Regional Executive Committee.
Assistant to the President of the Republic of Belarus – Inspector for the Vitebsk Region Vladimir Yurgevich, in his welcoming address, noted the organizational and creative abilities of the cultural institution's employees, who are capable of bringing any creative project to life at the highest, world level, and conveyed congratulations and gratitude from the Head of the Administration of the President of the Republic of Belarus Dmitry Krutoy to the chief sound engineer of the sound and technical complex service Ruslan Stabrovsky and the head of the Honored Amateur Collective of the Republic of Belarus, the exemplary choreographic ensemble "Zorka" Natalya Chernyuk.

Congratulatory addresses were also sent by the State Secretary of the Union State Sergey Glazyev and the Minister of Culture of Belarus Ruslan Chernetsky. The badge of the Ministry of Culture "For Contribution to the Development of Culture of Belarus" was awarded to Olga Snytko, Deputy General Director for Economics and Finance, and Olga Sokolova, head of the "Internet Center" branch.

Many employees received well-deserved awards on the anniversary evening.

And after the end of the solemn ceremony, artists took to the stage and, in a musical and choreographic prologue, presented the history of the development of the Culture Center and the creation of creative groups, which are now known far beyond Vitebsk.

The concert also featured Petr Elfimov, winner of the Grand Prix of the international competition of pop singers "Vitebsk-2004", and laureates of the vocal competitions of "Slavianski Bazaar" of different years Ivan Zdonyuk, Artem Skorol, Lera Bernatovich. Honored Artist of Belarus Ruslan Alekhno became a guest of the program.
And in the finale, Gleb Lapitsky, together with all the ensembles, performed the song "The Best Cultural Center," specially written for the anniversary.

"Vitebskiye Vesti"