DEVELOPING A BALANCED ECOSYSTEM FOR VISUAL CULTURE AND PHOTOGRAPHY IN UKRAINE
There is no developed photography market in Ukraine which leads to the following:
● Modern photography is not being understood by the wide audience and we observe the lack of demand for photo-works, which in turn does not stimulate development of the necessary infrastructure.
● Works of Ukrainian photographers are in general uncompetitive at the developed markets.
● Traditions of Ukrainian photography are not shaped because the knowledge is not being transmitted among masters and students and because of the lack of institutional memory.
● Documentary photo-stories and reflective conceptual photo-projects are not used as the global translators of Ukrainian culture in cultural-diplomatic relations.
Both the historical aspect (the cultural policy that inherited Ukraine from the Soviet system) and the lack of attention to photography by the key stakeholders in Ukraine (primarily educational institutions) are reasons which leaded for this situation.
So, taking into account the modern Ukrainian context the purpose of this Brief is working out the methodology for development of the balanced photography ecosystem in Ukraine. The breakthrough is possible precisely by support from the side of the drivers of the photographic ecosystem development and the consolidation of key players. We do consider that the leverage for running such changes would be the platform decisions which would attract the most active players, using the natural interest of each participant and answering to the external context as flexibly as it is possible.
