21 concerts by popular foreign performers will be held at the "Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk"

May 3, Minsk /BELTA/. The organizing committee meeting on the preparation and holding of the "Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk" International Arts Festival was held on May 2 in the government, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Anatoly Tozik. This was reported to BELTA by the press service of the government. The programs of the main events of the arts festival were discussed: the opening and closing ceremonies of the festival, the Days of Belarus, Ukraine, the Union State, and Youth. In total, the festival program includes 70 events, including 21 concerts by popular foreign performers. For the first time during the "Slavianski Bazaar," a Youth Day will be held, including the international festival "Fire of Dance" with the participation of dance groups presenting youth subcultures. During the meeting, candidates for the presentation of the special prize of the President of Belarus "Through Art – to Peace and Understanding" were considered. Proposals were made regarding the composition of the jury and the chairpersons of the international contests of pop song performers "Vitebsk-2012" and the children's music contest. The jury of the pop song performers' contest will be headed by composer Maxim Dunaevsky, and the children's music contest by Jemal Sepiashvili. Twenty-one applications from 18 countries have been received for participation in the pop song performers' contest, and 21 applications from 21 countries for the children's contest. The government also considered options for the festival's information support, including forms of cooperation with foreign television and radio companies, including the possible sale of broadcasting rights for festival events. "The issue of concluding an agreement between Belteleradiocompany and VGTRK (Russia) on broadcasting events of the XXI "Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk" International Arts Festival was discussed," the press service clarified. Proposals were made to encourage journalists for the best publication or TV/radio report about the festival. The State Institution "Vitebsk Culture Center" reported on the progress of attracting sponsorship and increasing festival revenues, as well as ticket sales. Festival revenues are planned to increase by 80% compared to 2011. Anatoly Tozik paid special attention to the insufficient coverage of the festival's preparation progress in the media. It was noted that national TV channels poorly position the preparatory events, and there is a lack of materials about new facilities in Vitebsk and new creative projects being prepared. There is no systematic work by the Ministry of Culture, regional executive committee culture departments, and the Minsk City Executive Committee to organize the participation of young Belarusian representatives in the qualifying rounds of the "Vitebsk-2012" International Pop Song Performers Contest and the International Children's Contest. Following the meeting, the Ministry of Information was instructed to ensure systematic work on organizing media coverage of the festival's preparation progress, placing advertising clips about the festival events on national TV channels, and approving regulations for encouraging representatives of foreign and national media for the best publication or TV/radio report about the festival. The Ministry of Culture and the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee were instructed to coordinate the work of all interested ministries and departments to hold the festival at a high organizational and creative level.