On July 12, 2026, the Kharkiv State Academy of Design and Arts hosted the first in–person event of the “Creative Meetings in Wartime” series — a meeting with Serhii VYNNYCHENKO, a Ukrainian theatre analyst, journalist, and founder of the “Theatrical Fishing” project.

The event was co-organised by the Kharkiv Korolenko State Scientific Library (T. G. Shevchenko “Ukrainica” Department) and the Kharkiv Specialised Music and Theatre Library. The meeting was moderated by Nika KHVOROSTENKO, an artist, theatre scholar, and methodologist at the Kharkiv Specialised Music and Theatre Library.

The event was opened with welcoming remarks by Vladyslav KUTATELADZE, Vice-Rector for Research at KSADA, and Kateryna VIRIUTINA, Deputy Director of the Kharkiv Korolenko State Scientific Library. The meeting brought together around 40 participants, including actors, directors, artists, journalists, and Kharkiv residents interested in the topic.

Serhii VYNNYCHENKO shared his personal journey from marketing and journalism to becoming a theatre blogger, and now a service member of the “Kraken” Special Unit of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine. He discussed the significance of theatre blogging for contemporary criticism and journalism, the transformation of theatre during wartime, and the importance of communication between theatre, journalism, and the audience.

The meeting took the form of an open discussion, with participants actively asking questions, sharing their perspectives, and debating the future of theatre.

Special thanks to Iryna Derkach and Oleksandr Akerman for providing the photographs.