Taken from our new digital issue. Veselka, a transformative queer collective and event series founded by Stas Tweeman and Denis Pinchuk in December 2018, spearheaded Kyiv’scultural revival. Now, with a significant portion of the team living abroad due to Russia’s full-scale invasion, they’re planning events all over the world – from New York City to Berlin. More than a party, it’s a movement fostering inclusivity and freedom.
“I wanted it to be a party for everyone,” Stas told me the day after Veselka’s Hör showcase in mid-February. On a pleasant spring day at a charming café in Prenzlauer Berg, I met Stas, aka Tweeman, Veselka resident Ruslan Mays, and Vadim to chat about Veselka and its history.
When Stas and Denis planned the first event, he remembers friends being sceptical, telling him he has a good standing in the scene; this might ruin his career. He didn’t listen. “When your heart is convinced, it needs to be done,” he said. They put on the event, and it was a success. The first event attracted around 200 people – the second around 700.
Since the full-scale invasion, the collective has been scattered around Europe and the rest of the world. Some stayed in Ukraine, others left. Supporting their country has become one of the main aspects of their events nowadays. Besides dancing, punters are also encouraged to donate money to the armed forces and humanitarian aid. Collecting money for weapons such as drones or cars for the frontline has become a grim reality for many Ukrainians. Just like the rest of us, they’d love to invest their money in other things, but due to Russia’s aggression, they’re forced to put everything into their defence.
There are hardly any Ukrainians who don’t know someone fighting in the army. For Stas, collecting donations for his friends at Veselka events has become somewhat of a mission. Unlike sending money to big organisations, he knows where the money is going, Stas told me.
Read the full article in our new digital issue:
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Tickets for the event at RSO on 17 May can be purchased here.
