The last barricade

The Last Barricade (Ukrainian: «Остання Барикада», stylised «ОsтаNNя Барикада») is a Ukrainian public organisation and arts association founded in 2006, though it traces its origins to an art café of the same name that operated in Kyiv from 2001 to 2003. Its stated mission is to popularise contemporary Ukrainian urban culture through festivals, performances, parties, literary projects, almanacs, and music compilations. The association was founded and is chaired by Oles Donii, a member of the Ukrainian parliament. The brand's history began with the art café 'ОSTANNЯ БАРИКАДА' in Kyiv, located near the Glory Square in the Pechersk shopping centre, which was closed in 2003 for political reasons. A namesake café existed in Kharkiv from 2005 to 2007 on Sumska Street, 73/75, and has periodically hosted closed cultural events, with plans for a second official opening. These cafés were early attempts to create a literary and artistic environment focused on Ukrainian modern urban culture. The association organises numerous festivals, including 'Independence Day with Makhno' (a music and literary underground festival held annually on 24–25 August, first in Huliaipole from 2006 to 2009 and later near Kyiv), 'Karpatia' (an all-Ukrainian vertep festival held since 2007 in January, moving from Ivano-Frankivsk to Yaremche, then Kyiv and Kolomyia), 'Barricade on Tuzla' (a 2008 international literary and artistic festival on Tuzla Island), 'Kyiv Barricade' (an annual literary and arts festival since 2007 dedicated to writer Yurko Pokalchuk), 'Kharkiv Barricade' (a contemporary art festival in 2007–2008 curated by Serhiy Zhadan), 'Lutsk Barricade' (October 2007), 'Pokrova' (a rebel and patriotic song festival on 14 October 2008), 'Haidamaka.UA' (2010, marking the 20th anniversary of the Revolution on Granite), and 'Road to the East' (2016, in Luhansk region). The association also produced the television programme 'The Last Barricade' with Oleksandr Donii, described as the most thorough programme about Ukrainian culture. It aired on the 'Central Channel' (KDRTRK) with the pilot on 28 April and weekly live broadcasts from 12 May, featuring guests such as Mykola Veresen, Volodymyr Horianskyi, Anna Zakletska, Vakhtang Kipiani, and Irma Vitovska. The programme's goal is to spark viewer interest in quality contemporary Ukrainian culture. The Last Barricade operates as a cultural brand and public organisation, with its website at ostbar.com.ua. It remains active in promoting Ukrainian culture through various artistic and literary initiatives.

The Last Barricade traces its history to the art café 'ОSTANNЯ БАРИКАДА' that existed in Kyiv from 2001 to 2003, located near the Glory Square in the Pechersk shopping centre. It was closed for political reasons. A namesake café operated in Kharkiv from 2005 to 2007 on Sumska Street, 73/75, and in recent years has periodically hosted closed cultural events, with plans for a second official opening. These cafés were the first attempts to organise a literary and artistic environment aimed at popularising contemporary Ukrainian urban culture. The arts association 'The Last Barricade' was officially founded in 2006, though it had existed informally since 2001. Its main goal is to popularise Ukrainian contemporary urban culture by constantly conducting festivals, performances, parties, separate literary projects, and publishing almanacs and music compilations. The founder and chairman is Oles Donii, a member of the Ukrainian parliament. Over the years, the association has organised numerous festivals. 'Independence Day with Makhno' is a music and literary underground festival held annually on 24–25 August, dedicated to Independence Day celebrations. From 2006 to 2009 it took place in Huliaipole, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, the birthplace of Nestor Makhno. In 2010, due to financial and political problems, it was held near Kyiv in a reduced format. 'Karpatia' is an all-Ukrainian vertep festival held since 2007 in January. It was initially held in Ivano-Frankivsk, then moved to Yaremche. In 2011–12, the main event 'Star Vertep' took place in Kyiv. In 2013, the festival was held in Kolomyia. 'Barricade on Tuzla' was the First International Literary and Artistic Ukrainian-Crimean Tatar-Russian-Belarusian festival held on 1–2 August 2008 on Tuzla Island, with the support of the arts association 'The Last Barricade'. The idea was to show that Crimea can be associated not only with resort seasons or negative external political factors, but also with the development of contemporary Ukrainian culture. Besides Tuzla, part of the festival took place in Kerch and Simferopol. 'Kyiv Barricade' is a literary and arts festival held annually in Kyiv since 2007, lasting 3 days and consisting of literary evenings, music concerts, and performances. The festival is dedicated to the memory of the oldest member of the arts association 'The Last Barricade', writer Yurko Pokalchuk. 'Kharkiv Barricade' was a contemporary art festival held in 2007–2008. The curator was the well-known Ukrainian writer Serhiy Zhadan. The two-day festival featured writers from Lithuania, Russia, Belarus, and Poland alongside Ukrainians. Music was provided by well-known Kharkiv and Kyiv underground bands, and a poetry slam tournament was also held. 'Lutsk Barricade' was held in October 2007 on the initiative of the Lutsk city authorities. It featured literary and music parties with famous Ukrainian writers. 'Pokrova' was a festival of rebel and patriotic song held on 14 October 2008 in Kyiv on Mykhailivska Square. 'Haidamaka.UA' was a festival of rebel-patriotic song dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the Revolution on Granite. It took place on 24–26 September 2010 in Irpin, Kyiv Oblast. The Party of Regions, represented by Vadym Kolesnichenko, unsuccessfully tried to prevent the festival. 'Road to the East' was a music and literary festival held on 25–27 March 2016 in Luhansk Oblast in the towns of Novopskov, Svatove, and Starobilsk. The festival served as a cultural tool to support people in Donbas. Participants also visited military personnel with daytime concerts and visited local libraries and hospitals. The association also produced the television programme 'The Last Barricade' with Oleksandr Donii, described as the most thorough programme about Ukrainian culture. It appeared on the Ukrainian television space with author and host Oleksandr Donii. The concept includes discussions of problems and successes of Ukrainian culture with invited guests: famous Ukrainian and foreign artists, journalists, actors, musicians, painters, culturologists, and all involved in creating and spreading Ukrainian culture. The programme was created by the Arts Association 'The Last Barricade', which for many years has specialised in holding various literary and music events, in cooperation with the 'Central Channel'. The first pilot episode aired on 28 April with participants Mykola Veresen, Volodymyr Horianskyi, Anna Zakletska, and Vakhtang Kipiani. The programme consists of several rubrics: 'Event', 'Scandal', 'Party', 'Song', which guide guests to discuss bright phenomena and figures of contemporary Ukrainian culture. The 'Persona' rubric invites iconic figures of Ukrainian culture for frank, extended interviews; the first guest was actress Irma Vitovska. At the end, upcoming interesting events are announced. From 12 May, the programme aired live weekly on Tuesdays at 19:00 on the 'Central Channel' (KDRTRK). Repeats were on Wednesdays at 06:00, 12:30, and 24:00. Recorded episodes can be viewed on the YouTube channel. The main task of the 'Last Barricade' team is to spark viewer interest in contemporary quality Ukrainian culture. Guests over time included Bohdan Beniuk, Natalka Sumska, Lech Wałęsa, the Kapranov Brothers, Mykola Veresen, Serhiy Zhadan, Anzhelika Rudnytska, and others.

• 2016

  'Road to the East' festival held in Luhansk Oblast.

• 2010

  'Haidamaka.UA' festival held in Irpin.

• 2008

  'Barricade on Tuzla' international festival held on Tuzla Island.

• 2008

  'Pokrova' festival held in Kyiv.

• 2007

  'Karpatia' festival launched in Ivano-Frankivsk.

• 2007

  'Kyiv Barricade' festival launched.

• 2007

  'Kharkiv Barricade' festival held (2007–2008).

• 2007

  'Lutsk Barricade' festival held in October.

• 2006

  Arts association 'The Last Barricade' officially founded.

• 2006

  First 'Independence Day with Makhno' festival held in Huliaipole.

• 2005

  Namesake café opens in Kharkiv.

• 2003

  Kyiv art café closed for political reasons.

• 2001

  Art café 'ОSTANNЯ БАРИКАДА' opens in Kyiv.

A cultural brand promoting contemporary Ukrainian urban culture through festivals, literature, and media.

• Independence Day with Makhno

• Karpatia

• Barricade on Tuzla

• Kyiv Barricade

• Kharkiv Barricade

• Lutsk Barricade

• Pokrova

• Haidamaka.UA

• Road to the East

• The Last Barricade TV programme

1. 1Остання Барикада - Wikipediauk.wikipedia.org
2. 2The last barricade - Wikidatawikidata.org