Irada Ayupova: ‘A delayed effect in culture is our reality’
Tatarstan Minister of Culture Irada Ayupova offered journalists themselves to answer questions what became the Luck of the Year, Failure of the Year and make a Wish for Next Year regarding the ministry’s activity and cultural events in the republic at breakfast with the press at the end of 2020. Representatives of the mass media, Realnoe Vremya’s correspondent was among them, didn’t hesitate to shower the minister with impressions, questions and appeals. In the end, we managed to learn what would be tested in the Tatarstan National Museum, when repairs in the Art Colleague would end and if the Surikov Moscow Academy would come back to Kazan as well as what Tatarstan production the Culture Ministry would start raising.
How not to lose the taste for life
Before the beginning of the press breakfast, Irada Ayupova said that it became a discovery of the year for her personally that Tatarstan cultural establishments went online: “Our theatres and museums have never been so active in social networks!” The minister called this a real breakthrough. She also noted Uen Fest festival dedicated to traditional folk games and funs, which is new for Tatarstan. The project is planned to end in March 2021 with a big final show.
“We can finally see the joy of victories in our children’s eyes, hear their sincere laugh! Hopefully, most quarantine measures will be lifted by next spring. It is necessary to make cultural benefits sought-after precisely for children. Parents will follow them too. Coronavirus has shown us what’s like to live without taste and smell. Most importantly, we should make sure the future generations won’t lose the taste for life,” the culture minister thinks.
Journalists will go to districts
Answering questions that were rather wishes, Irada Ayupova noted that Kazan journalists writing about culture should work on organised trips to Tatarstan districts. So milestones for the republic won’t be left unattended by them.
“The news that took place but didn’t get to the mass media is an event that didn’t happen, in fact. There are Bolgarian museums, so many amazing theatres, the press didn’t pay attention to many things. For instance, the renewal of the Menzelinsk theatre wasn’t almost noticed where Ilnur Ganeyev became the chief director. Naberezhnye Chelny Drama Theatre also needs to be advised development vectors. In general, the city has made a lot of financial investments this year. The development of Zakamye area is a topic for a separate talk,” the minister said.
If the answer to the question “Who is the target audience of articles written about culture?” is obvious for a developed person and doesn’t need explanations, the question “Who writes about culture?” is a more complex topic. It was noted at the meeting with the minister that there is nobody to follow few cultural reviewers. The number of the youth in cultural journalism is too small. To fix the situation, Irada Ayupova offered to hold a special week in the Faculty of Journalism of Kazan Federal University. People writing about culture themselves will host classes, seminars, masterclasses. Perhaps, the number of people willing to talk about “the sensible, kind and eternal” will be bigger.
By the way, the culture minister said that the ministry was preparing a regulation on a competition for journalists who cover culture.
“Everybody is on the stage in Tinchurin Theatre”
A lot was said about the fate of Tinchurin Theatre. “It needs the chief director, and now we think about it. We took time out two years ago that expires in a few months. But those changes happening to the theatre now aren’t the worst,” thinks Ayupova. She put an example of the premiere of the first immersive play in the Tatar language, which is going to be shown these days. She noted a lot of interesting plays are already staged. “Our main victory is that all the company is busy in the theatre now. The actors have no time to argue, everybody is on the stage,” she assured the journalists.
The minister noted that her long-awaited dream was close to becoming a reality — to create a laboratory of Tatar dramaturgy named after Karim Tinchurin. According to her, a lot of money has been injected in premieres in 2020, this is why the theatre season has been very intense despite self-isolation. First of all, it must be family plays. However, Kazan Young Spectator’s Theatre, the Kariyev Tatar Young Spectator’s Theatre and Ekiyat puppet theatre work successfully in this aspect.
Buffet rebranding is looming
Tatarstan’s National Museum was also paid attention. After a total renovation of the permanent exposition, it will have to look for new ways of communication with the visitor, journalists think, to become opener. By the way, it was separately said about food in culture establishments. In a place where people go to get close to culture should help themselves “according to all etiquette rules”, not takeaway food with cardboard plates, plastic cups.
“Yes, we have an idea of creating one trademark style for buffets in cultural establishments. It applies to both the quality of products and the way meals are served. But I won’t reveal all the secrets, but the first novelties will appear precisely in the buffet of Tatarstan’s National Museum,” Irada Ayupova spilt the beans.
Ceramics, the Alexeyevsk Handweaving Factory and other folk craft enterprises are next
Folk arts and crafts on a large scale
The Nikolay Feshin Art College has been eye-catching for a long time — when will the long-awaited repairs end and what will happen to it after that? Irada Ayupova noted that this year has also been breakthrough for the college. Major repairs in one part of the building ended, works go on in the other part of the historical building:
“Hopefully, the repairs will end next year and the college will be able to use the space of the mansion. Modern Art Gallery, the Sandetsky Manor are within a walking distance, all this is designed to make work and exhibition of students and young artists more comfortable. There are several squares for plenary etudes nearby”.
“The minister said how much the college had done in 2020, it is an Antoine de Saint-Exupéry art contest for art college students, development of crafts, particularly leather mosaic:
“Ceramics, the Alexeyevsk Handweaving Factory and other folk craft enterprises are next, we must make sure these plants receive real money for their development.”
The year 2020 has been truly golden for us, Golden Khasite contest has been held, Golden Kazan musical has been staged, 1st Golden Plate regional cinema award has been hosted
Film in Seven Days at federal level
The culture minister thinks it is necessary to change the format of Kazan Muslim Cinema Festival. This is why the festival wasn’t noticed, films were watched and the voting was online. However, cinematography hasn’t collapsed in Tatarstan this year:
“The year 2020 has been truly golden for us, Golden Khasite contest has been held, Golden Kazan musical has been staged, 1st Golden Plate regional cinema award has been hosted. Moreover, Film in Seven Days project goes on these days, this year a film in a week is made online. We will see what result we will have.”
It is noteworthy that a film about Kazan shot last year at Film in Seven Days project will be released these days at federal level.
“Culture is a specific sector. You can’t make something today and have it on the screen tomorrow. Succession is important, it is wrong to start again every time, from scratch. A delayed effect in culture is our reality,” Irada Ayupova concluded her speech.