More than 100 events to feature in the Culture Festival of the 12th St. Petersburg International United Cultures Forum
The St. Petersburg Seasons Festival of Culture of the 12th St. Petersburg International United Cultures Forum will run in St. Petersburg from 23 to 27 September. The programme comprises more than 100 events, including plays and concerts, exhibition projects, guided tours, and special programmes staged by the city’s leading cultural institutions.
The St. Petersburg Seasons Festival of Culture of the 12th St. Petersburg International United Cultures Forum will run in St. Petersburg from 23 to 27 September. The programme comprises more than 100 events, including plays and concerts, exhibition projects, guided tours, and special programmes staged by the city’s leading cultural institutions.
In 2026, the Forum will be organized by the Roscongress Foundation with the support of the Government of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, and the Administration of St. Petersburg.
“The Forum’s cultural programme allows participants not only to discuss issues of international humanitarian cooperation but also to experience Russia’s rich cultural heritage at first hand. Over these days, St. Petersburg will bring together the finest traditions of theatre, music, and museum work, while the participation of international ensembles will once again underline the Forum’s central idea: that culture remains a universal language that helps build mutual understanding and trust between countries and peoples,” noted Anton Kobyakov, Adviser to the President of the Russian Federation and Executive Secretary of the Forum’s Organising Committee.
Among the Festival’s landmark events are a performance by the Alicia Alonso National Ballet of Cuba and two programmes by the Boris Eifman Academic Ballet Theatre, marking Boris Eifman’s anniversary. The theatre programme brings together productions from the city’s leading stages. The Alexandrinsky Theatre will present the international production “A Gentle Creature”, based on the story by Fyodor Dostoevsky, and “Resurrection”, directed by Nikita Kobelev after the novel by Leo Tolstoy. At the Maly Drama Theatre – Theatre of Europe, audiences can see Lev Dodin’s productions of “It’s a Family Affair”, “Uncle Vanya”, and “The Brothers Karamazov”. The Festival programme also includes productions from the Mikhailovsky Theatre and the Arkady Raikin Variety Theatre.
The city’s museums and exhibition spaces have prepared an extensive programme of their own. During the Festival, participants will be able to visit the State Hermitage Museum, the State Russian Museum, St. Isaac’s Cathedral, the Peter and Paul Fortress, and other cultural institutions in St. Petersburg. Special exhibition projects include “Setting the Scene” at the Manege, marking 150 years of the Union of Theatre Workers of Russia, and the ROSPHOTO exposition “Russia 1896: Marking the Anniversary of the Nizhny Novgorod Industrial and Art Exhibition”.
A guided tour programme forms a separate strand of the Festival. Participants will be able to visit Peterhof, where the fountains will still be running during the Forum, as well as Pavlovsk and Tsarskoye Selo, and to take a tour of the Alexandrinsky Theatre. The programme also includes a visit to the Catherine Palace, home to the famous Amber Room.
The music programme brings together opera productions and concert events. One of its highlights will be the opening of the season at the Shostakovich St. Petersburg Academic Philharmonia. The programme also features productions from the Mikhailovsky Theatre and the St. Petersburg Opera Chamber Music Theatre. Audiences will be able to see the production of Charles Gounod’s opera “Romeo and Juliet”, Domenico Cimarosa’s opera buffa “The Secret Marriage”, and the gala concert “Masterpieces of World Classical Music”.
A substantial part of the museum and exhibition programme will be open to Forum participants upon presentation of their Forum badge. For certain events, participants must confirm their attendance in advance in their Roscongress personal account and collect a ticket from the Festival of Culture desk. Places at a number of events are limited.
The 12th St. Petersburg International United Cultures Forum will be held from 24 to 26 September 2026. The central theme of the Forum is “United Cultures, Common Values”.
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