History of the Faculty
Within the long-term development plan of the Lesya Ukrainka Volyn State University, the Institute of Arts was established on September 1, 1994. On September 31, 2016, in accordance with the Law of Ukraine “On Higher Education”, the Institute of Arts was renamed the Faculty of Arts. In September 2017, due to the merger of the Department of Cultural Studies and Management of Socio-Cultural Activities, the Faculty of Arts was renamed the Faculty of Culture & Arts.
The Faculty of Culture & Arts of LUVNU is the only one in the Volyn region that conducts full-time and part-time education of students getting a Bachelor's and Master's degree in the fields of study: 025 Musical Arts (Education Programme Musical Arts), 022 Design (Educational Program Design), 023 Visual Arts, Applied Arts, Restoration (Educational Program Visual Arts, Applied Arts, Restoration), 024 Choreography (Educational Program Choreography), 034 Cultural Studies (Educational Program Cultural Studies).
Educational work
The educational process at the Faculty of Culture and Arts is provided by six Departments:
- Department of History and Theory of Arts trains the specialists within the Educational and Professional Program “Musical Arts” in such areas: Art Studies, Sound Design, and Animation Skills.
- Music Practice and Performance Training Department trains the specialists within the Educational and Professional Program “Musical Arts” in such areas: Stage Art, Сhoral Сonducting, Instrumental Art (accordion, guitar, bandura, piano, violin, wind instruments), Estrada Art.
- Department of Design trains the specialists within the Educational and Professional Program “Design” in such areas: Graphic Design, Fashion Design, Environment and Interior Design.
- Department of Visual Arts trains the specialists within the Educational and Professional program “Visual Arts, Applied Arts, Restoration” in such areas: Computer Graphic Arts, Mural Art, and Decorative Painting.
- Department of Cultural Studies trains the specialists within the Educational and Professional Program Cultural Studies by professional qualification: specialist in the field of culture analysis and creative industries; the Master of Cultural Studies: specialist in design and organizational activities in the field of culture and art. Academic tutor.
- Department of Choreography trains specialists in the Educational and Professional Program Choreography in such areas: Folk Choreography, Modern Ballroom Dance.
The Faculty of Culture and Arts, as one of the educational subdivisions of Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University, is constantly working on the art and educational development of higher education, promoting the best examples of vocal, choral, instrumental, choreographic, visual arts, promoting both classical and folk folklore, jazz and stage genres. One of the promising areas of the Faculty is the development of creative industries based on art design, which includes design in various fields.
Research activities
The research of the Faculty of Culture and Arts are determined by the main directions:
- Department of History and Theory of Arts – “Ukrainian Musical Culture in the European Context: Theory, History, Psychology”;
- Music Practice and Performance Training Department – “Musical Culture of Volyn in the XX Century”;
- Department of Design – “Innovations in Art and Design”;
- Department of Visual Arts – “Issues of Preservation and Spiritual Revival of Historical and Cultural Monuments of Volyn”;
- Department of Cultural Studies – “Cultural and Anthropological Transformations in the Context of Mediatization”, “Ukrainian Society in the Conditions of Civilizational Choice: Cultural and Communication Aspects;
- Department of Choreography – “Issues of Choreographic Art Development of Volyn”; “Choreographic Art of Volyn in the Context of the Development of National Culture and Education of Ukraine”.
The All-Ukrainian Research Conference Topical Issues of Ukrainian Art Development: Culturological, Art History, Pedagogical Aspects and Regional Methodical Seminar Art and Educational Projects: Status, Achievements, Development Prospects are held annually. Since 2019, the international art project Music Tempus has been launched. Student Olympiads and art action Picturesque Volyn are organized.
Creative Activity
Students and teachers` creative achievements are sufficiently represented in the city and region. The achievements in music-performing, cultural-scenic space, presentations of male quartet Accord (consisting of Honored Artists of Ukraine Andrii Zarytskyi, Oleh Hontar, Viktor Mrochko, Mykola Palii), Lucciano (Vasyl Zakreva – bandleader), academic student choir (Vasyl Moisiіuk – the leader and Honored Art Worker of Ukraine), bandura trio Dyvostruny (leader – Myroslava Stochanska), instrumental ensemble Impromptu (leader – Petro Szymanskyi), folk song and dance ensemble Rozmai (leaders – Oleksandr Marach and Vitalii Okhmaniuk – Honored Art Worker of Ukraine). The solo-vocalists: Vasyl Chepeliuk – National Artist of Ukraine, Oleksandr Holoshchuk – Honored Artist of Ukraine and Inna Kyrychenko – jazz singer are the real pride of the Faculty of Culture & Arts.
The repertoire of artistic groups and individual performers is diverse in style, subject matter, which allows for a variety of thematic events, concerts at the Faculty, University, and in the city, region.
Among the students of the Faculty there are 70 laureates of International, 50 – All-Ukrainian, 45 – Regional Competitions and Festivals. 50 contestants and 17 of their instructors were awarded diplomas of the сcompetitions’ and festivals’ committees of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. 8 students became the winners of the Student of the Year Award competition. Faculty staff and individual performers presented their creative programs in Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, China, Czech Republic, England, UK, Portugal, Croatia and Slovenia.
Academic lecturers of the Visual Arts Department and students of Visual Arts, Applied Arts, and Restoration field of study take part in exhibitions of creative works, present personal exhibitions. Among them are the exhibitions of Prof. Tetiana Halkun – a Ukrainian Folk Art Painter, Prof. Halyna Vakhramieieva – a member of the National Union of Folk Art Masters of Ukraine and Olha Kaleniuk – Associate Professor of the Department. Dmytro Avramenko – a Heard of the Department of Design, Associate Prof. and Ivan Tarasiuk – a member of Ukrainian Designer Union take part in competitions on aesthetic design and beatification of the city.
Throughout University history, creative teams and performers of the Faculty of Culture & Arts have been a center for training teachers of art disciplines and a significant creative center in Volyn.
International Affairs
Teachers of the Faculty often undergo internships in order to improve the educational process at the Marie Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin and at the Pomeranian Academy in Slupsk. Students of the Cultural Studies and Musical Arts Fields of study exchange within Erasmus+ Programme, as well as the joint educational double diploma programs both at the Jan Dlugosz University in Czestochowa (JDU) and the Pomeranian Academy in Slupsk, Institute of Music. The program allows obtaining a Master's degree.
Foreign students’ education of 025 Musical Arts and 034 Cultural Studies specialties has been accredited. The third level of higher education for foreign students in the field of study – 034 Cultural Studies has been accredited. Currently, 7 postgraduate students from the People's Republic of China in the fields of Musical Arts and Design are studying successfully. The International Accordion Competition InterSvitiaz and the International Student Choreographic Festival Ekzersys are held annually. Music bands and soloists take part in joint charitable art projects within the program of Ukrainian-German Association “Bridges of Friendship to Ukraine”.
Students` Union
Students` Union is an integral part of the Faculty of Culture & Arts. Students Union is run by students of the Faculty. All students are equal in their rights to membership in students` government. Students` Council and the Students` Conference of the Faculty of Culture and Arts as the highest body of Students` Union determine the Students` Council team composition and work directions.
The Students` Council gives input on conflicts and issues involving the students of the Faculty.
The modern student should be “open” to communication and have the same attitudes, values and motives both students and their teachers. Education at the Faculty is not possible without creativity and art. A student is one who with humor, responsibility, humanity, and ingenuity is able to leave any hard and complicated situation.
The employment success of graduates
Graduates of the Faculty of Culture and Arts have the opportunity to become teachers-musicians of conducting and choral disciplines, musical instruments, Estrada singing; teachers of Visual and Applied Arts; dance teachers, choreographers and artists. Moreover graduates of the Faculty successfully work in advertising industry, design companies, museums, art, music and secondary schools, as well as in studios and high education institutions. Also they become researchers, creative and art directors, project managers, animators, art and cultural managers, interior designers, landscape designers, fashion designers, graphic designers, 3D artists, scenic designers, exhibit designers etc.
The University graduate diplomas are recognized in Ukraine and abroad. Many of them are successfully work in Europe, in particular in the field of intercultural communication, as well as implement international cooperation within Culture & Art projects.
Our graduates are able to put their skills and experience into practice and directly represent both themselves and our University at European level.
