Thursday 27 May, 7pm, Apollo Cinema
Dmitry Bykov is one of Russia most charismatic and controversial intellectual figures – an award winning writer, a phenomenal film buff and a successful tv and radio presenter. Dmitry will be interviewed by Alexander Kan from BBC World Service. They will be discussing today’s Russia, Bykov’s latest books, including Living Souls, which has recently been published in Britain, new Russian films and the crossover themes in Russian and and British culture (in Russian).

Video poetry is a new phenomena in the contemporary Russian arts scene. In today’s world, media has no limits - information is mixed together with a myriad of fast, dynamic images, and punchy sounds. Video poetry has incorporated these elements that are all around us and used them to create a new art form which has become extremely popular in Russia during the last couple of years. Leading experimental poets and film directors, including Kirill Serebrennikov and Valeria Gai Germanika, amongst others, have come together to create films based on poems read by the poets themselves. The performances are also strongly influenced by European artists of the 70s and 80s, such as Gianni Toti, Richard Kostelanetz, Arnaldo Antunes and Caterina Davinio, whose experimental work was considered arthouse and cutting edge thirty years ago, but seems to strike a chord with the world we live in today. In our culture of multi-media, the merging of poetry, music and film feels only natural. ACADEMIA ROSSICA will be premiering three programmes of video poetry at SLOVO literature festival. The three programmes will offer a unique opportunity to see the works of fifteen of the most important names in Russian video poetry, including Andrei Rodionov, Inna Kabysh and Alina Butokhnovskaya. Programme 1 & 3 will be screened at the Apollo Cinema, Piccadilly at 18.30 on 20 & 22 April. To book tickets, call 0871 220 6000 or go to www.apollocinemas.com Programme 2 includes readings from cutting edge contemporary Russian and British poets and takes place at Calvert 22 art gallery at 18.30. Attendance is by invitation only. These events are part of the SLOVO festival and organised in collaboration with Tom Chivers and Penned in the Margins. These programmes are curated by Andrei Rodionov, one of the leading contemporary Russian poets and Ekaterina Troepolskaya, who also curates the Piataya Noga video poetry festival.

Vladimir Grigoriev is Deputy Head of the Russian Federal Agency for the Press and Mass Communications and he is a tireless campaigner and champion of Russian literature and culture at all the world's major book fairs: he has famously said, ‘Russian literature should know no boundaries.'

SLOVO Russian Literature Festival 19 - 25 April 2010 London and other UK cities Russian Literature Week is back for the third time, held in the same week as the London Book Fair. The aim is to highlight Russian writers and publishers, both in London and on an international scale. This year's SLOVO will also showcase the new generation of writers, exciting new poets and the fascinating culture scene of today's Russia.

28 June, 14.00-23.00
Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, WC1R 4RL
A day of Russian culture to celebrate the year of youth. There will be a screening of the film 'Peter FM' with English subtitles at 14.00 followed by an art workshop, a quiz, a concert from participants in the Russian Song Contest 2009 and then live Russian music and a food and drinks buffet.

26 May
Moscow
On the 26th of May, the names of the writers shortlisted for the 'Big Book' literary prize were announced. 13 authors have been shortlisted. Two of the shortlisted books were entered into the competition as manuscripts: Mariam Petrosyan's 'The House Where'and Andrei Baldin's 'The Extension of the Full Stop'.

I see Russia’s future in the brightest of hues. Admittedly, this sort of statement does not befit a dystopian writer like me, who is supposed to make dire predictions, though for some what I am going to tell you will sound as bad as an anti-utopia (while I see it as an almost ideal outcome).

I see Russia’s future in the brightest of hues. Admittedly, this sort of statement does not befit a dystopian writer like me, who is supposed to make dire predictions, though for some what I am going to tell you will sound as bad as an anti-utopia (while I see it as an almost ideal outcome).

Alexander Arkhangelsky was born in Moscow in 1962. He graduated in pedagogy and wrote a dissertation about Pushkin. At different times he has been a radio-journalist, written for literary journals and political newspapers, and has taught.

The Bridges of Culture / Gesharim is large publisher of Jewish books written in Russian, publishing academic books on Judaism; the memoirs of Jewish cultural figures; the revival of Jewish nationalism; literature from Israel and its diasporas; art albums of Jewish cultural monuments; reprinted books about Jewish history and culture.

Interros launched a Publishing Programme in 2001. The purpose of this humanitarian project was to participate in educational and cultural progress by publishing books. In eight years the Interros Publishing Programme has released over 30 books on history, arts, culture and philosophy. Books are central to the educational activities of the programme.

Director of the Institute of Cultural Studies, Moscow
Kirill is an internationally renowned film critic and lecturer in directing and script writing at the Institute for European Culture in Moscow.

Artistic Director, BFI Southbank
Eddie is also contributing to the BFI's vision to develop a purpose-built international centre for film and moving image culture in London for 2012.

Director of the Institute of Cultural Studies, Moscow
Kirill is an internationally renowned film critic and lecturer in directing and script writing at the Institute for European Culture in Moscow.

Artistic Director of BFI Southbank
Eddie is also contributing to the BFI's vision to develop a purpose-built international centre for film and moving image culture in London for 2012.

Vladimir Grigoriev is Councillor to Head of the Russian Federal Agency for the Press and Mass Communications and he is a tireless campaigner and champion of Russian literature and culture at all the world's major book fairs: he has famously said, ‘Russian literature should know no boundaries.' Born in 1958, Vladimir Grigoriev worked as an editor for the Novosti news agency from 1982 to 1990, after which he founded and headed the publishing house Vagrius. Vladimir Grigoriev has worked unflaggingly to promote and support the publication of Russian books and the protection of authorial rights during the difficult, transitional period from the old publishing protocol inherited from the former Soviet Union to the establishment of a new, market-oriented, internationally recognized modus operandi. He has been honoured with prizes in recognition of his work for services to Russian publishing and the dissemination of literature and culture not only in the Russian Federation (2001), but also in Poland (2005) and in France (2006). Grigoriev is also one of the founders of the prestigious book prize ‘Bolshaia kniga' (‘Big Book') - the second largest cash award, after the Nobel Prize. His unique insights into the increasingly buoyant and expanding market for Russian books makes him an extremely interesting and valuable speaker.

Founding Director of Academia Rossica, editor of ROSSICA journal
Academia Rossica is the organiser of Russian Language and Literature Week in Britain. The organisation seeks to present the best of Russian culture to the international audience in order to strengthen cultural and intellectual links between Russia and other countries.

Alexander Drozdov has been Director of the First President of Russia Boris Yeltsin Foundation since its inception in November 2000. The foundation undertakes a broad range of educational, scientific, scholarly and cultural projects. It strives to promote cultural cooperation and an open exchange of ideas and information between Russia and the West. After establishing together with Academia Rossica the Rossica Translation Prize, the only prize for literary translation from Russian into English in the world, the foundation has subsequently establishes prizes for literary translation from Russia into French and Italian, with Spanish and German soon to follow.
We are indeed privileged to benefit from the insights of such visionary people as Alexander Drozdov, who wish to promote a greater understanding of Russian culture in all its varied aspects.

Interpreting Russia
This issue is dedicated to the short-listed finalists and the Winner of the first Rossica Prize.

Rumiantsev’s Arc – Library of a Nation
If the book lies at the heart of Russian culture, then the most vital, life-preserving institution in Russian culture is the library. This issue of ROSSICA focuses on the remarkable history and collections of Russia’s largest library: originally called the Rumiantsev Museum, later the Lenin Library (Leninka) it is now the Russian State Library.

Russian Nights
‘Russian Nights’ Festival is the largest, most ambitious and most varied festival of Russian culture ever to be staged in London. It brings a remarkable range of music and theatre, painting and poetry, photography and architecture to the capital.

The Seductions of Europe
Prince Yusupov and his Arkhangelskoe
This issue is dedicated to Prince Nikolai Yusupov and his magnificent estate Arkhangelskoe near Moscow. Prince Yusupov was one of the outstanding figures of the Age of Enlightenment.

The Seductions of Europe
Prince Yusupov and his Arkhangelskoe
This issue is dedicated to Prince Nikolai Yusupov and his magnificent estate Arkhangelskoe near Moscow. Prince Yusupov was one of the outstanding figures of the Age of Enlightenment.

Russian Nights
‘Russian Nights’ Festival is the largest, most ambitious and most varied festival of Russian culture ever to be staged in London. It brings a remarkable range of music and theatre, painting and poetry, photography and architecture to the capital.

Rumiantsev’s Arc – Library of a Nation
If the book lies at the heart of Russian culture, then the most vital, life-preserving institution in Russian culture is the library. This issue of ROSSICA focuses on the remarkable history and collections of Russia’s largest library: originally called the Rumiantsev Museum, later the Lenin Library (Leninka) it is now the Russian State Library.

Interpreting Russia
This issue is dedicated to the short-listed finalists and the Winner of the first Rossica Prize.

Director of the State Russian Museum in St Petersburg since the perestroika years, cavalier of the French Legion d’Honneur award for the promotion of Russan-French cultural ties. Used to be the Chairman of St.Petersburg committee for culture under Anatoly Sobchak, at the time when other committees were headed by the future leaders of Russia, including Vladimir Putin. Ogranizer of numerous exhibitions of Russian art in Russia and overseas. Hosts a TV show about the museum.

Vladimir Grigoriev is Councillor to Head of the Russian Federal Agency for the Press and Mass Communications and he is a tireless campaigner and champion of Russian literature and culture at all the world's major book fairs: he has famously said, ‘Russian literature should know no boundaries.' Born in 1958, Vladimir Grigoriev worked as an editor for the Novosti news agency from 1982 to 1990, after which he founded and headed the publishing house Vagrius.

Alexander Drozdov has been Director of the First President of Russia Boris Yeltsin Foundation since its inception in November 2000. The foundation undertakes a broad range of educational, scientific, scholarly and cultural projects. It strives to promote cultural cooperation and an open exchange of ideas and information between Russia and the West. After establishing together with Academia Rossica the Rossica Translation Prize, the only prize for literary translation from Russian into English in the world, the foundation has subsequently establishes prizes for literary translation from Russia into French and Italian, with Spanish and German soon to follow.

Founding Director of Academia Rossica, editor of ROSSICA journal
Academia Rossica is the organiser of Russian Language and Literature Week in Britain. The organisation seeks to present the best of Russian culture to the international audience in order to strengthen cultural and intellectual links between Russia and other countries.