THE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF SANDY SCULPTURES

ABOUT FESTIVAL

The Peter and Paul Fortress throughout three centuries – soul and a city symbol. Festival on the Beach in the historical centre – a unique example both for Russian, and for the European cities when on a natural beach in a frame of architectural masterpieces works of art from sand are created.

VIII International festival of sandy sculptures 
«Ancient Greek Olympic fire»:

During the period from July, 12 till July, 17th, 2009 in Sankt - Petersburg on a Peter and Paul Fortress beach has passed one of the brightest events of a summer cultural life of Petersburg – VIII International festival of sandy sculptures in which have taken part more than 20 commands. Which their number included the best masters with a world recognition – sculptors on sand from Russia, Ukraine, Latvia, Mongolia, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Portugal and Syria. 

The festival has been spent with support of Inter-parliamentary Assembly of the State-participants CIS, the Federation Council of Federal Meeting of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of sports, tourism and the youth policy of the Russian Federation, the Government of St.-Petersburg, the State museum of history of St.-Petersburg. 
The international festival of the sandy sculptures which have become already traditional for St.-Petersburg, this year has been devoted the Year of youth proclaimed in Russia, and also Olympic games coming in 2014 in a city of Sochi. A theme of the International festival of sandy sculptures of 2009 «Ancient Greek Olympic fire».
Olympic fire – a world symbol in all centuries as the leitmotif of all sculptures, will consecrate a beach of the Peter and Paul Fortress and to please visitors of a beach till August, 31st.

Following the results of Jury work has defined winners of VIII International festival of sandy sculptures «Ancient Greek Olympic fire»:

• I place – a sculpture of "Prometej", authors: Pavel Zadanjuk and Bagrat Stepanyan (Russia);
• II place – a sculpture «Ignition of Olympic fire», authors: Sergey Zaplatin and Grigory Ponomarev (Russia);
• III place – the sculpture «Let will win the strongest», authors: Valery Petrenko and Dmitry Klimenko (Ukraine-Russia);

All participants have received commemorative medals and festival diplomas.

Also special prizes and gifts from sponsors and Festival partners have been handed over:
Prize from the Federation Council of Federal meeting of the Russian Federation:
Prize from Inter-parliamentary Assembly of the state-participants CIS
 Prize and the diploma from Company "Salitar" – the general sponsor of festival
Prize from Fund of cultural-educational programs "Peter and Paul Fortress"
 Prize from Company "ISGL" – the festival partner
Prize from the Company «Water of life of Russia»
 Prize from Company "Bomba-Piter"

The festival had the big advertising campaign, has received an extended coverage in mass-media and has caused the most benevolent responses in a press and in visitors of festival.

 

VI International festival of sandy sculptures 
"Water of life":

Basis for creativity of sculptors were images of national mythology, heroes of slavic folklore, Water Deities of the Ancient World (Egypt, Rome, India, Greece, Japan, Slavs, Celts, etc.) Every possible mermaids, мавки, water, nymphs, naiads, underwater mythological inhabitants, spirits of falls, the rivers and lakes, a rainbow and rain clouds, spirits of wells, baths and springs; the Neptune, Posejdon, the Tsar and the Tsarina Sea, Sirens, Volkhov, characters of Russian bylinas and fairy tales. An out-of-competition sculpture «the Image of Water and Time» (for example, Sand or the Water-clock, as a reminder about Eternal and Main in our life). The purpose - to find for itself the image, value and Time criterion. The theme of festival besides an estetichesko-educational orientation, mentions questions of tolerance, international dialogue and interosculation of cultures. Considering that 2007 г it is recognised by Year of Russian special attention was it is given Russian folklore images. The motives answering to problems of world ecology were welcomed.

Commands of sculptors have taken part in festival from the countries of near and far abroad and different regions of Russia. Summarising and solemn ceremony of rewarding of winners of festival has taken place on June, 1st. Also in 2007 within the limits of Festival has passed II International children's competition of a sandy sculpture where master classes were spent by the masters entering into ten of the best sandy sculptors of the world; and a number of socially-significant, charitable actions for children from children's homes of St.-Petersburg and Leningrad region.
In 2007 for three summer months a beach with sandy sculptures, and also concerts, film displays, various actions and actions of the International Festival have visited more than 150 thousand persons!
Time of carrying out of Festival of a sandy sculpture is necessary on peak of a tourist season that, undoubtedly, favours to strengthening of image of Petersburg as world centre of tourism and culture.

V International festival of sandy sculptures 
«The Life tree»

The festival of 2006 was spent together with the international musical festival «White night of romantic music». Uniqueness consisted that on specially designed scenic platform against Neva and the Hermitage, among sandy sculptures, there have passed evening concerts in which took part known Russian both foreign classical and jazz musicians. 
In Festival carrying out in territory of the Beach of the Peter and Paul Fortress each country which has presented a command to participation in Festival, had possibility to spend Day of National Culture (concerts of folklore collectives, tastings of ethnic cuisine, presentation of national creativity, crafts and another).

Doubtless advantage of the project of 2006 was its multinational status and an ethnic orientation. It is the most large-scale project in the field in which here a fifth year participate more than 16 states, an original Olympus of arts of Cultural Capital of Russia. Therefore one of ideas of Festival «life Tree» is a preservation and development of humanitarian potential, variety of national cultures, a material and spiritual heritage of the states CIS, Europe and Asia.
Participants of festival: commands of sculptors from Austria, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Russia, Finland, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Latvia, Estonia, the CIS countries and other states.
During opening of 7/30/2006 out-of-competition sculptures have been presented. On conditions of competition to commands have given more than 100 tons of specially selected sand and week on performance of the competitive task. Highly professional masters have created products высотою to 3 metres. Sculptures have staid on a beach two months, interested persons could visit them round the clock (inclusion of effective illumination at night was spent).
It becomes traditional festival one of the most sign and bright city events that finds reflexion as in local, and foreign mass-media.
 

 

2002 – 2010
St.-Petersburg