By Rostyslav Averchuk
Lviv (EFE).- Lviv, a western Ukrainian city that has welcomed hundreds of thousands of displaced Ukrainians and their cultural institutions, is competing against Nikšić, Montenegro, to become the European Capital of Culture in 2030 -joining Leuven in Belgium and either Larnaca or Limassol in Cyprus- aiming to showcase its vibrant cultural scene and counter Russian disinformation.
Ahead of the European Union’s decision, set for Tuesday, Oct. 21, Lviv’s organizing team, led by the Cultural Strategy Institute, was finalizing its presentation, with a power generator on standby in case of outages caused by Russia’s daily strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
“Ukraine got noticed because of bombs and missiles. Only then did the world ask, ‘Who are these Ukrainians?’” Yulia Khomchyn, director of the Cultural Strategy Institute, told EFE.
“Applying for this title is an opportunity to explain to Europe, through the language of culture, who we are,” she added.
Vibrant culture
Although war inevitably impacts local culture, Khomchyn emphasized that Lviv’s bid offers Ukraine the chance to present itself as a resilient culture, not as victims.
“Culture helps us survive these attacks, transform trauma into strength, and envision a future,” she told EFE.
Despite losing cultural workers to displacement or the frontlines, Lviv continues to host numerous festivals, theater performances, and museum exhibitions across its UNESCO World Heritage-listed city center, renowned for its unique blend of architectural influences from its diverse ethnic communities.
Approximately 200,000 displaced Ukrainians have found refuge here, with cultural programs aiding their adaptation and healing.
“Through visits to the theater or museums, they learn more about their country and themselves,” Khomchyn explained. “Interacting with residents from Kherson, Kharkiv, or Donetsk also transforms locals. It’s a mutual exchange.”
Lviv’s cultural scene has been enriched by relocated institutions such as the Luhansk Philharmonic Orchestra and Mariupol’s Arkhyp Kuindzhi painting school, which offers classes to displaced adults and children alike.
“Though Mariupol was destroyed by Russian bombs, these initiatives keep its spirit alive,” Alevtyna Shvetsova, a cultural worker from Mariupol, told EFE.
“Through exhibitions and commemorative events, we share the story of its resistance and its people – killed, displaced, or taken captive,” she said.
An opportunity
Securing the European Capital of Culture title would enable Lviv to create a platform for dialogue, counter Russian disinformation campaigns that have distorted perceptions of Ukraine abroad, and highlight the nation’s unique wartime experience.
“This is our voice to show the world the context in which Ukraine lives today,” Shvetsova added.
Lviv’s bid includes dozens of projects organized around three pillars, witnessing, caring, and imagining, designed to create lasting impacts on local and European cultural scenes, with participation from international artists and institutions.
Some planned projects, such as the Recovery Atelier, seek to expand opportunities for art as a therapeutic tool to address trauma. Others, like the Literature House, aim to create robust platforms for sharing ideas among cultural institutions, while initiatives like Android Opera, led by Japanese composer Keiichiro Shibuya, blending human performers with robots, will push creative boundaries.
Providing meaning amid war
With projects starting in 2026 and culminating in 2030, Lviv has planned extensively to address security risks, with 27 partner cities ready to host initiatives if needed and online alternatives prepared.
Recent aerial strikes on Lviv forced the cancellation of a visit by members of the EU selection panel, prompting the organizing team to conduct an online tour of the city’s cultural landmarks instead.
“It wasn’t easy, but we did our best,” said team member Iryna Shutka.
While international partnerships and EU support will cover part of the expenses, local authorities and institutions will play a key role in realizing the projects, with culture now seen as key to what Khomchyn described as a civilizational clash between European vision and Russia’s imperialistic outlook.
“Faced with the possibility they will have no tomorrow, people seek meaning beyond material things. Culture, through theater, opera, concerts, and exhibitions, aids with this search,” Khomchyn said. EFE
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