The independent art collective Nahirna 22, operating within the Institute of Automation in Kyiv, has issued a public appeal after receiving an eviction notice from the State Migration Service (SMS). The community, which plays a vital role in the contemporary cultural resistance in Ukraine, has been ordered to vacate its workshops by May 31 to make way for departments of the SMS and the state enterprise “Document.”
This announcement poses an existential crisis for one of Ukraine’s largest independent creative centers, which has been based in the office building in the Shevchenkivskyi district of Kyiv for years. Access to the premises will be cut off on May 31, jeopardizing the future of the collective.
Members of the collective reported that the state agency has repeatedly attempted to block their efforts to secure an official rental agreement. The SMS has rejected the registration of commercial lease contracts through the State Property Fund of Ukraine. In an open letter, the artists are urging regional and national leaders to find a constructive compromise to save the community’s infrastructure.
The creative center was established in 2019 when a small group of contemporary artists began utilizing the unused, non-functional spaces of the Institute of Automation. Over nearly seven years, the site has evolved into an indispensable pillar of the independent visual arts scene in Kyiv.
