Gala evening devoted to the international “Create an Exhibit for the Hermitage” competition

On 2 November 2022, the Staraya Derevnya Restoration and Storage Centre became the venue for a gala evening devoted to the 6th international “Create an Exhibit for the Hermitage” competition.

Those attending included representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation in Saint Peterburg, the Government of Saint Petersburg and the diplomatic corps from various countries: Angola, Belarus, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guinea, Israel, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Zimbabwe.

The celebratory gathering was opening by Mikhail Piotrovsky, General Director of the State Hermitage. He noted that the New Year “Create an Exhibit for the Hermitage” competition is “a festive event, a pleasant and attractive story” and expressed the hope that there will be a large response to the competition this year. The Hermitage Director also spoke about the unique innovative complex formed by the buildings of the museum’s restoration and storage centre in the Staraya Derevnya district.

The international competition to produce an original decoration for the Hermitage’s New Year trees has been organized by the State Hermitage in conjunction with the company Aira and is being held in the museum for the sixth time. Over past years, more than 3,000 people from various parts of the world have taken part in it. This year the theme of the competition is “Cherishing Traditions”. Entrants are invited to create tree decorations that introduce people to the traditions of their country, city or region. The hundred best works will adorn the festive trees in the State Hermitage.

In his speech, Yury Berestov, chairman of the board of the Aira Technopark, covered the history of the competition and the idea behind its creation. He invited the guests of the evening to not only spread the word about the competition in their countries, but also to take part in the decoration of the World Tree that will appear this year for the first time in the General Staff building. The festive fir tree will be adorned with decorations made by adults and children from different parts of the globe.

Those attending the gathering went on to take a guided tour around the halls of the Restoration and Storage Centre and acquaint themselves with the recently opened display of Timepieces and Musical Mechanisms from the collection of the State Hermitage that features masterpieces of the 16th–19th centuries from the museum’s stocks. The guests were informed about the display by Mikhail Guryev, head of the State Hermitage’s Laboratory for the Scientific Restoration of Timepieces and Musical Mechanisms.

To find out the detailed rules for participating in the “Create an Exhibit for the Hermitage” competition, please visit this part of the museum website. Entries must be submitted by 7 December 2022.