Future Fragments – Visions from the Present 
Exhibition, July 2025


Venue: Window Gallery of ERSTE Foundation

©Valerie Maltseva 

Four years on, Russia’s brutal, large-scale war against Ukraine continues. The attack on February 24, 2022 violated international law and changed the lives of all Ukrainians. 

The Ukrainian people face enormous challenges, particularly due to the ongoing, widespread attacks on energy infrastructure and civilian life, which make winter particularly difficult. In Kyiv alone, in February 2026 more than 500,000 people are currently without electricity. 

February 24 marks a day of deep mourning for the many victims, but is also a symbol of a long struggle for Ukrainian sovereignty. Despite the massive destruction, the Ukrainian people have never lost their determination to defend themselves against Russian aggression with enormous resilience. However, the future remains uncertain. Although international initiatives for peace negotiations are underway, these are repeatedly interrupted as no solution acceptable to Ukraine has been proposed to date. 

At the international level, it is therefore imperative to work together with democratic countries to provide Ukraine with massive support in defending its political self-determination and to press for an end to Russia’s illegitimate war of aggression on terms that are fair to Ukraine – a war that threatens not only Ukraine’s sovereignty but the freedom of all of Europe.

Panel discussion  What Remains, What Disappears  in cooperation with the Kyiv Biennale and Asortymentna Kymnata, with the kind support of ERSTE Foundation at the AIL Angewandte Interdisciplinary Lab on November 13, 2025.

©Mark Chechodaiev

Four years of Office Ukraine

Solidarity and ongoing support for Ukrainian artists and cultural workers

Office Ukraine was launched just a few days after February 24, 2022, by Austrian art institutions in collaboration with the BMWKMS in order to respond to the urgent needs of artists and cultural workers who were displaced from Ukraine as a result of the large-scale Russian invasion.

Since then, our offices in Vienna, Graz, and (until September 2025) Innsbruck  have become important points of contact for Ukrainian artists and cultural workers who have come to Austria—and continue to come—to find safety and peace, as well as opportunities to continue their work. Our mission is to provide professional support to Ukrainian artists and cultural workers while building lasting connections between them and the Austrian cultural scene.

Over the past four years, we have served as a bridge between Ukrainian creatives and local institutions. Between 2022 and early 2026, Office Ukraine organized, facilitated, or co-sponsored over 400 events at its three locations, involving approximately 850 Ukrainian participants, and provided additional support to hundreds of persons in various ways. These activities enable displaced cultural workers  to continue their professional activities in a peaceful environment while making a valuable contribution to the Austrian cultural landscape.

Silkscreen printing workshop led by artist Margo Sarkisova, December 2025

Venue: ZIEGEL Graz

©Office Ukraine Graz

Thanks to the solidarity of numerous cultural institutions and independent initiatives throughout Austria, many collaborations have taken place. Museums, galleries, off-spaces, educational institutions, theaters, and other cultural venues have opened their spaces and programs, creating opportunities for professional exchange. Many partnerships began in 2022 as emergency aid and have since developed into long-term collaborations and friendships. We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to all the supporters who have stood by Ukrainian artists over the past few years. Your solidarity has made a big difference.

At the same time, Ukrainian artists and cultural workers — both in Ukraine and in exile — continue to face great uncertainty. In Austria, this particularly affects the temporary protection regulation, including the so-called “Blue Card” status, which is currently set to expire in March 2027. Many cultural workers need legal certainty and professional support in order to build a sustainable future for themselves. Support structures therefore remain essential.

Residency ‘FOCUS INTERNATIONAL Ukraine’, Rietz, Tyrol, Summer 2025

©Oksana Pohrebennyk

Office Ukraine asked Ukrainian artists what they consider to be needed support measures for the near future: 

Anastasiia Mamay, St. Pölten / Lower Austria

“After four years of war, during which financial and bureaucratic challenges remain pressing, a new space for meaningful collaboration has opened up. This seems to be the right moment to initiate an artist residency in Vienna dedicated to sustainable artistic exchange and joint project development.

Artists working in Ukraine today are grappling with realities directly shaped by war and change, while many of us in Europe are dealing with issues of migration, belonging, and shifting social landscapes. The growing distance between these contexts and the increasing tensions surrounding them call for formats that foster deeper dialogue.

I am particularly interested in working with artists currently living and working in Ukraine and creating a residency framework that supports exchange between contexts and addresses the changing mental and social realities we share.”

Polina Makarova, Lower Austria

“I believe that Ukrainian artists are particularly dependent on Office Ukraine continuing its work. This support is indispensable and of great importance because it works on several levels: it integrates Ukrainian artists into the Austrian art scene, creates and maintains an already established community and connections between artists, and provides comprehensive information on funding opportunities, the tax system, and bureaucratic matters. This is extremely valuable and carefully constructed work. Its continuation has a direct impact on the social and financial security of artists and their ability to continue their artistic activities in the future.”

elsewhereland, January 2026, Austrian Cultural Forum Budapest

©Dániel Pék

Lucy Ivanova, Vienna

“Artists are all different, just like every person. I don’t know what each of us needs, but I have a few dreams:

1. That the war ends as soon as possible in Ukraine’s favor.
2. Financial support from the country where I live.
3. A culture pass.
4. An eraser for a mechanical pencil that lasts forever (perhaps with replacement parts) and is not intended for single use only.
5. Tax exemption.
6. Social security.
7. The possibility to convert a house into several studios.”

Sasha Kurmaz

Survive, endure, and not devour each other.

Office Ukraine invites cultural organizations, institutions, and individuals to continue cooperating with and supporting Ukrainian artists and cultural workers. Continued cooperation helps ensure that art and culture can be offered, even in times of fundamental crisis. And solidarity continues to help Ukrainian refugees build a second home for themselves.

If you are willing and able to support our activities, you can also do so with a donation.

Account: tranzit.at – Verein zur Förderung von Kunst und Wissenschaft

IBAN: AT362011184532396001