The cultural and educational festival known as Night of Art is set to illuminate Moscow on November 4, presenting a rich blend of music, theater, and concert performances alongside immersive excursions, thoughtful lectures, hands-on master classes, and street exhibitions, according to the event’s press service.
This year’s program will resonate with fans and historians alike, especially those who cherish the works of poets Vladimir Mayakovsky, Andrei Voznesensky, and Evgeny Yevtushenko, alongside the enduring melodies of composer Sergei Rachmaninov. Interest will also be high for fans of architecture and engineering, including the legacies of architect Alexei Shchusev and engineer Vladimir Shukhov, whose anniversaries are celebrated as part of the cultural spotlight. The festival will officially open at the New Manege, setting the tone for a night that mixes retrospective reflection with contemporary performance.
Across Moscow, Night of Art will unfold with more than 170 distinct events spread across nearly 100 venues. The festival will commence with a theater-driven exploration titled Poetry Tour, beginning at 17:00. Participants will follow in the footsteps of Vladimir Mayakovsky, moving through six locations tied to the poet’s life and work. Stops include the State Mayakovsky Museum on Krasnaya Presnya Street and Lubyansky Proezd, building 15/13 on Mayakovsky Lane, the Ilya Glazunov Russian Academy of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, Mosselprom House, and the Izvestia newsroom building. Each site will offer performances and installations that illuminate Mayakovsky’s artistic journey while inviting audiences to experience the city through his biography.
In addition to these marquee venues, the Night of Art will showcase a dynamic roster of spaces that reflect Moscow’s cultural vitality. From the New Manege and the State Pushkin Museum to the Moscow Variety Theatre and the White Hall of the Moscow Government, the program weaves through both traditional and contemporary hubs. Other highlights include the Tsaritsyno Museum-Reserve, the Moskino cinema network, and numerous other cultural locations that will host exhibitions, interactive displays, music showcases, and theater pieces. Pre-registration is required for many activities to ensure smooth access and participant safety.
The festival’s programming emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration, inviting visitors to experience how poets, musicians, visual artists, and architects intersect within the urban mosaic of Moscow. Beyond performances, attendees can join guided tours, engage with master classes led by established practitioners, and attend lectures that contextualize the artistic moments within broader cultural and historical frameworks. The event aims to foster dialogue among audiences, creators, and experts, encouraging attendees to explore how artistic expressions over time respond to social and political currents while still celebrating enduring human creativity.
Earlier in the season, an exhibition in Moscow offered insights into the histories and cultures of influential Central Asian dynasties. That exhibition complemented Night of Art by broadening the city’s cultural conversation, inviting visitors to consider connections between regional histories and contemporary artistic practice. Night of Art continues this tradition by curating experiences that are accessible to a wide audience while enriching the city’s artistic landscape with thoughtful and provocative programming.