A Community Stands Together: A Story of Resilience

“Who needs art when guns are firing?” Anna Voloshyna asked herself in 2014, when the conflict in Donbas started. The answer soon became clear – everyone does. The cultural centre she leads in Novomykhailivka, kept its doors open, bringing new life to the village of almost 1,500 which lies close to the contact line, some 28 kilometres from Donetsk city.

“It has given young people a purpose,” says the 37-year-old manager “[They] always come up with new ideas, festivals and workshops. We stay active, and never give up.”

The artwork on the walls tells a story of resilience and unity, warming up the crisp autumn air in the old concrete building as heating season has yet to start. Amid the tragedy of conflict, a powerful bond has developed with people, especially the young. Empathy is in abundance, Anna says, as youngsters have learnt to take care of each other and shoulder more responsibility. “If you have experienced throwing yourself on the floor during shelling at a young age, you grow up fast,” she adds.

A native of Donetsk, Anna moved to Novomykhailivka in 2014 – it was somehow a return to her childhood. When she was 10, her mother, who managed the Donetsk College of Culture, decided to swap the city’s active life with the fresher air and the slower pace of the village. The family relocated back to Donetsk upon Anna’s graduation. There she followed her mother’s footsteps, working in Donetsk’s Centre of Slavic Culture and immersing herself in a dynamic community of artists and culture workers. She was also part of a creative group called “Star Moment.” The conflict shattered this creative family: some of her friends fled and she headed back to Novomykhailivka.

The village’s cultural centre, the Aesthetic Education Centre, was damaged by shelling in 2014, but continued to function nevertheless. Then in 2018 state funds were mobilized: the building was repaired and a youth centre, Step to the Dream, was set up. Today, a steady stream of passionate youth volunteers organizes dancing lessons, table tennis tournaments, and movie nights. “Everyone is welcome here, but we have to build trust among each other. It is truly a give and take,” Anna says.

To further support the community, the centre joined forces with aid organizations and organized mine awareness training and psychological support sessions.

For many, the facility is a second home, a place where they can be more themselves – “it is freedom,” says Anna.

She remains positive, but asked about how the conflict has affected her life she becomes silent – and tears up. Looking around her, at the centre and a handful of people busily engaged, she simply says: “When you lose something, you also gain something.”