Opening of the audiovisual studio KONTENTA in the YouthHub

 The KONTENTA audiovisual studio is opening on the basis of the YouthHub youth centre of Uzhhorod National University. It creates all the necessary conditions for individual work, organising group educational and cultural events, recording vocals and musical instruments, as well as for filming video blogs, podcasts and live broadcasts. The studio was opened thanks to the cooperation of the NGO Cultural Platform of Zakarpattia and Uzhhorod National University. The project itself was developed by the Cultural Platform of Zakarpattia with the support of UNICEF.

The event was attended by the head of the Department of Education, Youth and Sports of the Transcarpathian Regional State Administration Mariana Marusynets, Uzhhorod Mayor Bohdan Andriyiv, head of the UNICEF Lviv Regional Office Ninke Voppen, head of the UNICEF Social and Behavioural Change Section Anna Sukhodolska, specialist of the UNICEF Social and Behavioural Media Section Svitlana Kisilova, rector of the Transcarpathian Academy of Culture and Arts Natalia Shetelya, and founder of the ILKO Gallery art centre Mykhailo Ilko.

Volodymyr Smolanka, Rector of UzhNU, was the first to speak: ‘Today we are opening an audiovisual centre with the help of UNICEF. This is one more small brick in the development of this youth centre. I am very pleased to hear good feedback about the work of YouthHub. It is never empty here - there are always many people. And we are proud that young people from other institutions and organisations across the city come here. We are grateful to our sponsors for allowing us to expand our capabilities and activities. This centre will be in the most reliable hands - in the hands of young people. So I am confident that it will be used and work in the best possible way.’

‘It's nice that you have the necessary equipment in your youth centre, which will be fully accessible to the youth of the city, students and not only those who study here. Now they will have the opportunity to record and film music projects and contribute to their self-development,’ said Bohdan Andriyiv, chairman of the Uzhhorod City Council.

The event was attended by representatives of UNICEF, whose support made it possible to create the YouthHub youth centre and the KONTENTA audiovisual studio. Head of the UNICEF Lviv Regional Office Ninke Woppen said in her speech: ‘We are happy to visit you again after having already opened this youth centre. I made a joke when I came: ‘Oh, today is such an active day’, and I was told - “Every day is like that here!”. ‘YouthHub has already become a leisure centre for young people where they can realise themselves, and KONTENTA will add even more creative opportunities. We are happy to work with our partners to support your community and help make your dreams come true. We are grateful to you, the city, and the university for investing in young people together.’ Ninke Voppen also hopes that some of the recordings will be in English, so that both she and the international partners can listen.

The partners from the NGO Cultural Platform of Zakarpattia, the chairman of the board Yevhen Zabarylo and the head of communications Yana Polupanova, told us more about the project. KONTENTA in Uzhhorod is the twentieth studio to be installed in youth centres across Ukraine in 2024. The project already operates in Chernihiv, Kyiv, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Kirovohrad, Poltava, Mykolaiv, Lviv, Odesa, and Volyn regions, and now it will be in Zakarpattia.

The presentation of the audiovisual studio was followed by the second stage of the programme - the basics of working with Ableton sound design, where mentor Pavlo Chornyi explained to the young people how to use the Ableton Live software, which is already installed on the studio's equipment. The training took place directly in practice. During the workshop, they managed to record a joint song. Everyone took part in its creation and had fun. The podcast with the youth is the final part. It focuses on what the younger generation is concerned about.

KONTENTA offers young people the opportunity to share ideas and experiences, develop their creativity, find ways to express themselves and take care of their mental health.

 

• Education