‘Five years ago, we were only just learning what a ‘lineup’ was… Now, the only things left from those initial formats are the name, the flowers, and the lemons’, Ivanka Lishchuk, founder of Lesia Kvartyrynka, says. The very first Kvartyrynka took place at the Kosmos Tabir workshop and brought together just 80 people. Today, the festival team is preparing for the 17th edition of Lesia at the Oleksandr Dovzhenko Film Studio, which has become the festival’s regular venue, and is expecting around 2,000 attendees
Ahead of the anniversary on May 16, DTF Magazine spoke with Ivanka about the journey and evolution of Lesia Kvartyrynka over the past five years, the changes since the full-scale invasion, its various formats, and unrealized ideas
About the 17th Lesia Kvartyrynka
Ten artists will perform across the festival’s two stages, accompanied by a jam stage curated by Jam Street and a lecture programme presented by PEN Ukraine.
The main stage lineup features Yuko, Mariana Sadovska, Zlypni, and Piatyi Vymir. Anton Kramer will also return to the festival stage, performing with a full band for the first time. The lineup includes Anna Ryzhova, Polina Maiboroda, Oleksandr Yavdyk, and Heorhii Levinson.
The festival’s second stage, which the organizers call the Friendly Stage, will feature performances by Petrichor Ensemble, Zapaska, Sestro, Indie-ya, and the duo Benia & Olia.
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‘Over the past five years, Lesia Kvartyrynka has grown from an intimate grassroots initiative into an important platform for independent musicians, visual artists, and interdisciplinary creators. The festival has consistently cultivated a space for co-creation, where music, visual art, and civic activism interact as equal parts of the experience’, the festival team adds.
The theme of the anniversary festival is ‘Adventure’, with the dress code inviting guests to embrace the spirit of adventure.
Other festival activities include a quiet space curated by Artdacha, Crimean Avant-Garde — a Crimea-focused space created by Crimea Daily, the Crimean House, and Gylko — as well as a dating space by GEMU that combines social connection with weaving camouflage nets.
In addition, the festival team aims to raise 1 million UAH to support the 1st Separate Medical Battalion. Partners of the 17th Lesia Kvartyrynka include Uklon, Berdychivske Beer, Kiss my apps, PEN Ukraine, and Goethe-Institut Ukraine.
The growth of Lesia: internal processes, approaches, and future plans
— This interview coincides with your fifth anniversary. Back when you started, did you ever imagine the project would last this long?
— Definitely no, but here’s to many more years! The project is fueled by immense love, friendship, and dedication. It’s clear that Kvartyrynka is doing good work, and we want to find the energy to keep expanding it. Wish us luck!
— The story of Lesia Kvartyrynka began in 2021 with a series of events held at the Kosmos Tabir workshop on Kyrylivska Street. In fact, the core community grew out of that association, even if few people are familiar with it now. Could you tell us what Kosmos was? And what role did it play in the creation of the festival?
— These are the people who gave us that initial spark and showed us how to take the right risks, bring people together, and create. We happened to be by their side at just the right place and time. Kosmos Tabir has been with us for every single Kvartyrynka, and we couldn’t be more thankful.
— If you compare those early events with what you’re creating today, what have been the biggest changes and transformations?
— Well, we’ve definitely gotten a handle on the organizational process! Five years back, we were still figuring out what a ‘lineup’ meant and how to structure soundchecks—I actually invited all the performers for their checks at the same hour for our first show… Everything was done blindly, fueled by instinct and sheer panic. Today, all that’s left of those days is the name, the flowers, and the lemons. I can barely wrap my head around the fact that most of the audience today are strangers to me. At the first Kvartyrynkas, I knew literally everyone.
— After Kosmos closed its workshop, Lesia was hosted a few times at Mezzanine, featuring a performance by Ragapop. Then the full-scale invasion brought everything to a standstill for half a year. How did that impact the festival’s overall concept?
— I think that after the start of the full-scale invasion, every cultural project saw not only its context change, but also its inner motivation. Before the full-scale war, Kvartyrynka was more about the romance of a young scene — meeting people, first performances, and a sense of community. Afterwards, we developed a much stronger sense of responsibility for what we were doing.
People needed a place where they could feel alive again — to experience beauty and closeness with one another. That’s probably when Lesia stopped being just a party or a festival and turned into a world of its own — a space people look forward to, where they can experience intense emotions and finally catch their breath.
— Fall 2022 marked your first event at the Oleksandr Dovzhenko National Film Studio. How did that partnership begin? And what has made this venue your home for almost four years?
— After the start of the full-scale invasion, we were planning to move to a larger venue, and while we were searching, our friend Artemii insisted that we take a look at the film studio. Out of all the sound stages, we fell in love with the Sound Pavilion first. Then we moved to a bigger one, and eventually to an even larger space.
Now Kvartyrynka is held in Pavilion 1 — the largest one on the entire Film Studio grounds. The film studio itself is also fascinating, both for its infrastructure and the community that has formed around it. There’s a reason so many festivals are making it their new home.
— Weren’t you worried that moving to a much larger venue might ruin the cozy, intimate feel of Lesia?
— I don’t think coziness is about the number of people. It’s about attention to detail, the atmosphere, and the way a space interacts with the people in it. That’s why with every new Lesia, we put even more thought into preserving that sense of closeness, even as the festival keeps growing.
— How many people attended the early Kvartyrynkas at the workshop and later at Mezzanine? And how many people come to the film studio now?
— We’re expecting around 2,000 Kvartyrynka-goers this time. Thankfully, that number has grown with every edition. We started with just 80 people.
— Do you feel you’ve found your audience, or does it seem like you’ve reached your limit?
— Quite the opposite. Every time, it feels like we’re only just getting started.
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— The festival’s full title is a unique Kyiv festival of original music and immersive set design. You’ve even established a standalone department specifically for the visuals. At what point did set design become an equal pillar alongside the music, and what drove that evolution?
— In the world of Lesia, the set design department has become something of a religion in its own right — a fully independent creative collective with its own community, close personal bonds, and a genuine love for building immersive environments. Now, beyond building the festival, they handle plenty of external projects.
It all started back at the third Lesia, when I invited Mariia Zelenkova to curate the market. Back then, it felt like just a nice touch, but at some point, it all began evolving so naturally into conceptual decor, more intricate worlds, larger structures, and bigger dreams.
Today, the set design is no longer just a backdrop for the music — it’s an essential part of the festival’s storytelling. We use the space itself to tell a story and create an emotional experience.
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— Staying on the subject of departments, how many people are currently part of the festival team? And who are they?
— Depending on the festival, it can be dozens or even hundreds of people. Most of them are far more than just a crew; they are individuals deeply in love with Kvartyrynka, having grown alongside the event itself.
We have dedicated teams for the stages, set design, volunteers, visual artists, artist relations, photography, video, social media, and countless other behind-the-scenes operations the audience never even notices. And that’s one of the most beautiful things about it — watching so many talented people come together around a single idea.
— Overall, how does the festival preparation actually work? What are the main stages of the process, and when does it all begin?
— Actually, it’s a virtually continuous process. Thoughts of Lesia don’t cease once the curtains close; they naturally transition into the next season, evolving into new concepts and decisions. Even during prep for the spring festival, autumn ideas are already brewing if a concept suddenly feels more suited for that context.
First comes the theme and the vibe, followed by work on the lineup, set design, partnerships, stages, and technical production. Concurrently, we shape the visual language, the dress code, and zone concepts. Then, as the event draws near, everything shifts into overdrive — coordinating hundreds of micro-processes at once.
— How and when did the idea of having a festival dress code first come about?
— I think the dress codes came about naturally because people already wanted to be part of this world. At first, it was something really simple — for example, at Lesia Kvalentynka, we asked everyone to wear red. But then we realized that through a dress code, you can literally invite people into the game and co-creation.
It completely changes the atmosphere of the festival. You’re no longer just a spectator — you become part of the story itself.
— How would you describe the concept of Lesia Kvartyrynka today?
— Lesia Kvartyrynka has long outgrown the typical festival format where people just listen to music or hang out. For us, it’s a living space for direct contact with art in all its forms.
This time, for instance, we hosted our very first lecture space in partnership with PEN Ukraine — another crucial step in our shift toward deeper reflection, dialogue, and knowledge sharing. ‘Kvartyrynka’ combines music, dance, song, performance art, conversations, and chance encounters. And all of it exists as a shared experience of the moment.
You can really feel that today, people need spaces where they can do more than just consume content — they want to feel like part of something alive.
— And who is the audience of Lesia Kvartyrynka?
— At Lesia, different subcultures, ages, personalities, and professions intersect so naturally. You’ll find very young people and those with rich life experience feeling equally at home there.
What unites most of them is an openness to Ukrainian culture, emerging artistic voices, and a desire to be part of something unfolding in the present — to experience the creative process as it happens.
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— What makes Lesia stand out among other music festivals?
— I’d say it’s the genuine heart behind it, along with the fact that it’s deeply rooted in human friendship and trust.
— Do you feel like you’re competing with other events?
— More likely, we feel like part of the wave of contemporary Ukrainian culture. I think that in our scene, mutual support and the sense that we’re shaping a new cultural landscape together matter far more than competition. Without one, there wouldn’t be the other.
— By what principles do you choose the artists for Lesia? Are there specific criteria, and how have they evolved over time?
— For us, an artist’s sincerity is everything. We look for a natural synergy with the universe of Lesia — asking whether their music sparks a genuine reaction and weaves into our collective festival experience.
— If you had to describe Lesia to someone who’s never been before using just three words, what would they be?
— Adventure. Community. Tenderness.
— Have you ever thought about expanding Kvartyrynka beyond the festival format? Perhaps even starting a record label?
— Yes, we have plenty of ideas. We’d love for Lesia to exist not just as a festival that happens a few times a year, but as a fully fledged cultural platform and community. It’s entirely possible that, over time, it will grow into something even bigger.
— What is your long-term vision for the future of Kvartyrynka as a festival?
— We want to grow not just in scale, but in quality and boldness — to build even more cohesive worlds, support new Ukrainian music, invent unexpected formats, and remain a place where people truly feel good being together.
Rapid-fire questions
— When was your first sold-out festival?
— Probably at our very first events in the workshop. Though back then, the word sounded much less fancy, considering it was just 80 people and a wall-to-wall crowd in one room.
— Is the festival profitable?
— Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Independent festivals are always a huge risk. But I can say for sure that Lesia exists not because of business logic, but out of immense love and belief in what we do.
— Which Kvartyrynka was the most attended?
— The 17th edition will be our biggest yet. Right now, we’re expecting around 2,000 people.
— Which edition was the most difficult to organise? And why?
— Probably the first one after the start of the full-scale invasion. There was so much fear and uncertainty, but at the same time, a strong feeling that culture shouldn’t be put on pause.
— If you could host Lesia Kvartyrynka anywhere, where would that be?
— A large open-air festival surrounded by mountains and baobab trees.
— Which artist’s performance are you most proud of?
— The performances we’re proudest of are the ones by artists who either returned to the stage or began a new chapter of their careers at Lesia: Dychka, Tik Tu, and Slozy Kabluka. Right now, we’re especially excited for the upcoming sets by Anton Kramer and Vymir. Bringing the Estonian duo Puuluup to the festival was another unforgettable experience, and we’re equally thrilled whenever we think about Mariana Sadovska.
— What’s your favourite memory from Lesia Kvartyrynka?
— For me, it’s always the moment we begin building the stages and hear the very first soundcheck. That’s when it really hits me — I almost always end up a little teary-eyed.
— What’s the most memorable stage design you’ve ever created for the festival?
— Probably the one that never actually happened. For our 10th event, the plan was to turn the stage into a massive jaw, complete with 32 separate teeth built by the decor team. Mid-setup, though, we realized it would cover the lights, so the teeth spent the festival resting in the workshop.
About the anniversary
— What makes the 17th Lesia Kvartyrynka special?
— This is five years of our history, and easily the most ambitious festival we’ve ever built. It’s deeply symbolic for us, almost like a bridge connecting all our past chapters.
— The theme of the anniversary festival is ‘Adventure’, while the dress code invites guests to embrace the spirit of adventure. Why did you choose this concept? How do they complement each other?
— I think Lesia’s story itself is already an adventure. Starting a community in your early twenties — and then refusing to stop, even after the full-scale invasion began — is an adventure in itself.
That’s why the idea of adventure feels so fitting for our anniversary. We wanted people to come not just to a concert, but to step into a story where they could allow themselves to be bolder, stranger.
— One of the major returns in this year’s lineup is Anton Kramer, performing with a full band for the first time. How did this collaboration come about, and what can we expect from the show?
— Anton is putting together a full live band for the first time. We’ve been friends for a long time, and we’ve been talking about this idea for years. We’d originally hoped to make it happen much sooner, but having it come together for our fifth anniversary is a real honour. He’s assembled an incredible group of musicians, and they’re all putting a huge amount of work into it and are genuinely excited. It also means a lot that Anton played at our very first event.
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Get your tickets for the 17th edition of Lesia Kvartyrynka via the link
