“Vyshyvanka Unites — Rahvustikand Ühendab” smART Fest 2026

Dear friends,

We warmly invite you to take part in a unique event — the festival “Vyshyvanka Unites — Rahvustikand ühendab”, dedicated to World Vyshyvanka Day! This incredible celebration of traditions, folk creativity, and art — remarkable in both scale and beauty — will take place on May 24 from 12:00 to 21:00 at one of Tallinn’s most modern cultural venues, Kultuurikatel.

For the fourth consecutive year, the Association of Ukrainian Organizations in Estonia has been bringing together Ukrainian and Estonian communities around the preservation of the rich traditions and cultural heritage of both nations. The festival, launched in 2023, was recognized as the best integration event of the year by experts from the Estonian Integration Foundation and the Ministry of Culture. Each year, it gathers more than 2,000 guests, including Estonians, Ukrainians, and representatives of many other cultures. That is why the festival’s enduring motto has been: “Similarity unites — diversity enriches.”

This year, the festival returns in a renewed format — “Vyshyvanka Unites – smART Fest.” We are taking a step from a traditional ethnographic format toward a modern urban cultural forum, where Ukrainian and Estonian cultures will звучати anew — deeper and bolder. Kultuurikatel, one of Tallinn’s most innovative cultural hubs, perfectly amplifies this idea: it is a place where the city’s new culture is born — and this year, Ukrainian smART Fest will become a part of it.

This will be a space where:

— tradition meets modernity

— the vyshyvanka becomes not only a symbol, but a cultural code

— art unites people, ideas, and countries

Our smART Fest = Soul • Modern • ART

🔥 What awaits you this year?

🎶 smART Show — music and dance: from ethnic roots to contemporary rhythms

🧵 smART Craft — a marketplace of artisans showcasing handmade creations

🎨 smART Workshop — masterclasses for children and adults

🍲 smART Food — a гастрономічна journey through national cuisines

🧸 smART Kids — a joyful space for the little ones

🎤 smART Talks (NEW) — talks on culture, identity, and meaning

🎬 smART TV (NEW) — a film club featuring Ukrainian and Estonian cinema for both adults and children

📸 атмосферic photo zones

🎁 festive lottery

🌟 a festival headliner — to be announced very soon

🤝 During the festival, we will also join a charity fundraiser in support of Ukraine together with initiatives of the Serhii Prytula Charity Foundation.

Soon, we will announce participation opportunities and conditions for everyone interested. Follow updates on our Facebook page and Instagram.

For partnership inquiries and proposals, please contact us at [email protected] Kindly include “Vyshyvanka Unites 2026” in the subject line.

💛💙 We look forward to welcoming you to smART Fest 2026 “Vyshyvanka Unites — Rahvustikand ühendab”! We will be truly delighted to see you at our celebration — where traditions meet modern ideas, where the past connects with the future, and where culture unites two nations.

The project is implemented by Ukraina meedia Druzi and the Association of Ukrainian Organizations in Estonia with the support of the City of Tallinn, the Estonian Integration Foundation, and the Ministry of Culture of Estonia.