The Problem: Significant Loss and Destruction of Ukrainian Cultural Heritage
The full-scale russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022 has resulted in a significant loss of human lives and the national and international displacement of Ukrainian people.
This aggressive action has also seen the destruction of Ukraine’s cultural heritage, a truly devastating amount not witnessed since WW2. Many symbols of national identity such as priceless artefacts, museums, churches, and archaeological histories have been specifically targeted to be destroyed and looted. There is an ongoing urgent need to protect and preserve Ukrainian cultural heritage from further damage and loss.
A Museum That Celebrates Ukraine’s Rich Culture
We propose to deliver an online museum which is accesible to all - easy to navigate, educational, and always free. It will feature high quality images of Ukrainian artefacts currently in our posession (on loan from local individuals) which can be studied and viewed indefinitely.
Another important aspect of this online platform will be to support and amplify Ukrainian voices, and provide resources for Ukrainians who are now living in Scotland. We will promote their initiatives, businesses, art practices and cultural research in the form of articles and photo-essays, as well as list all events and workshops currently happening. We will share information on how members of the pubilc can also get involved, either by volunteering, learning Ukrainian, or donating to the museum.
Cultural Heritage Collections at our Museum
The online museum will be a space where Ukrainian culture can be celebrated and also provide a good introduction to western audiences. With a focus on education, engagement, accessibility, and united support for Ukraine, this museum will be the first of its kind in Scotland to be solely focused on Ukrainian collections.
Our museum collections will include textiles, ceramics, pottery, woodwork, painted objects, photographic prints and more. They will showcase Ukraine’s important history of craftsmanship and help to tell the story of cultural, traditional, folkloric and religious practices.
Rare examples of embroidery, the endless varieties of regional dress, perishable ritual objects - all these items help to bring to life Ukrainian ethnographic history.
By offering a platform that allows a broad audience to interact with heritage collections, we aim to educate people about why Ukraine’s culture is so important. This will help keep Ukraine in the social consciousness in circles outside the Ukrainian community, as news about the war falls off the radar.
We are dedicated to protecting, restoring, digitising, researching and sharing items of national and cultural importance.
The Impact of Your Donations
Your direct support will help us in the following ways:
- Website hosting costs
- Collections development & new acquisitions
- Conservation-grade archival storage materials for our existing and future collections
- Funding for exhibitions
- Digitisation costs
- Webshop stocking artwork and products made by Ukrainian artisans
- Workshops & Events
From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for taking the time to engage with our crowdfunder. We are passionate about telling the stories of our nation and your support really helps us to achieve this vision.
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