Kyiv is hosting an international illustration and design festival

From Aug. 29 to Sept. 7, 2025, the Mystetskyi Arsenal is hosting the first PIC Conference, an international illustration and design festival that brings together artists, designers, and curators from more than ten countries.

The event is part of the Network Eastern European Design (NEED), created to strengthen the cultural identity of Central and Eastern Europe. The focus of the festival is on illustration, animation, graphic design, and book art. The event unites design festival organizers, artists, and students to establish a platform for collaboration and new international initiatives.

“We have dreamed of organizing a professional event dedicated to illustration, graphic design, and animation for a long time, and three years ago we received support from Creative Europe together with partners from Poland and Lithuania. As Pictoric, we became the Ukrainian part of a large international networking initiative for Eastern Europe,” Oleh Hryshchenko, Pictoric founder, told Chytomo.

The PIC conference was held in Warsaw in 2023, in Vilnius in 2024, and this year, for the first time, in Kyiv.

“It was important for us to finish the project here. We are happy that most of our colleagues, with whom we’ve worked for three years, came here. For them, the decision wasn’t easy, but they wanted to support Ukraine and share their experience,” Hryshchenko added.

Participants from Czechia, Poland, Moldova, France, Switzerland, Montenegro, and Germany were among the guests. Those who were unable to attend the event sent selections of works from their festivals, which were presented in Ukraine for the first time.

“We really wanted Ukrainian professionals, students, and those who already paint to have the opportunity to participate. We have no restrictions. Participants can chat, view each other’s work, collaborate, demonstrate their portfolios, receive reviews, and draw with  Jesús Cisneros, who is a true superstar. You can see his work on Instagram. He teaches in Mexico City, gives master classes throughout Europe, and is a first-rate illustrator. We are very happy that he came, because such opportunities are rare now,” Hryshchenko said.

Among the exhibition participants are Pictoplasma (Germany), LUSTR and “The Best Czech Book” (Czech Republic), Pictoric (Ukraine), a Collective exhibition of conference speakers (Germany, Portugal, Poland, Ukraine, Spain, Czech Republic), Graphic Matters (The Netherlands), and Collections of the best book design.

On Aug. 30, a conference with presentations and discussions took place, and on Aug. 31, professional communities networked, holding workshops, portfolio reviews, and exchanges of experience between Ukrainian and international representatives of the creative industries. On Sept. 6–7, professional networking for Ukrainian institutions and artists from different regions will continue, with master classes and discussions on current practices in the field of visual design.

TNEED brings together festivals, seminars, and competitions in Central, Eastern, Southeastern, and Western Europe. Its goal is to raise awareness of the region’s history and contemporary design, which often go unnoticed on the global stage.

The organizers were Pictoric (Ukraine), PGD/Polish Graphic Design (Poland), and 6 pt (Lithuania), with the support of Mystetskyi Arsenal. Partners included the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, the Polish Institute in Kyiv, the Goethe-Institut in Ukraine, Kuš!, NAOMA, and Postmen.

The Pictoric Illustrators Club is a community of illustrators, graphic designers, and artists. Its purpose is to implement joint interesting projects and promote high-quality, contemporary illustration in Ukraine and abroad, at international festivals and exhibitions, as well as to conduct educational activities.

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Main image: International Festival Book Arsenal

Copy editing: Joy Tataryn