OPEN HOUSE: Ukrainian Independence Day

Celebrate the 34th anniversary of Ukraine’s Renewed Independence at the UIA’s family-friendly Open House. Visit our Ukrainian Food Court to indulge in a variety of savory and sweet treats, shop for Ukrainian design treasures at the Code 380 pop-up, and see over a thousand pysanky in The Pysanka: A Symbol of Hope. Admire exquisite 19th-century Ukrainian traditional costumes and textiles, take home a book or two, and experience powerful contemporary films made by Ukrainian filmmakers during the war. Stop in for a quick visit or spend the afternoon with us, sharing in the spirit, beauty, and resilience of Ukraine.

To assist us in our planning, please register below if you intend to join us.

UKRAINIAN FOOD COURT 

Natalia’s Ukrainian Kitchen – authentic Ukrainian specialties
Papa Did It – gourmet, all natural meat products
East Village Meat Market – traditional Ukrainian kanapky
Igor’s Bees – local pure raw honey
Tasting Table – Ukrainian wine, beer, and cider

UKRAINIAN SHOPPING 

UIA Book Shop – contemporary fiction and non-fiction by Ukrainians and about Ukraine
Code 380 Pop-Up – a curated selection of Ukrainian fashion and home design

EXHIBITS AND INSTALLATIONS 

19th-Century Ukrainian Traditional Costumes
The Pysanka: A Symbol of Hope Installation
Tribute to Fallen Artists
Impressions of War Posters by Pictoric
Paintings from the UIA Permanent Collection
The William Dzus Founder’s Museum

UKRAINIAN FILM FORUM 

A program of critically-acclaimed documentaries and shorts by Ukrainian filmmakers, with introductory remarks from the film teams.

12:30 PM: Lina.
1:30 PM: Kherson: Human Safari
3:00 PM: Shorts by Takflix: Mosaics of Kyiv |It’s a Date | Stargazing
4:00 PM: Match in a Haystack  

THE FILMS 

Lina. [28 minutes: in Ukrainian with English subtitles]
The documentary follows a mother and her 4-year-old daughter fleeing Russian occupation in Kherson, exposing the lasting trauma of war and the abduction of Ukrainian children. Lina. received the 2025 Helena Weinrauch Humanitarian Award at @chainfilmfest.

Kherson: Human Safari  [72 minutes: in Ukrainian with English subtitles]
Created by journalist Zarina Zabrisky, who lived through Russia’s assault on Kherson, the film features residents telling their own stories. It documents how Russian forces use FPV drones in a so-called “human safari” to hunt civilians—a tactic of terror and surveillance amounting to war crimes.

Mosaics of Kyiv [9 minutes: in Ukrainian with English subtitles]
A married couple of artists creates a mosaic on the wall of a cultural space in Kyiv. They work in the upcycling technique, drawing inspiration from mosaics made in the Soviet era.

It’s a Date [6 minutes: in Ukrainian with English subtitles]
A story about the capital of a country at war, where despite everything, life in all its forms continues.

Stargazing [8 minutes: in Ukrainian with English subtitles]
A young astrophysicist in a war-torn country watches stars and black holes, holding a dialogue with her unborn daughter about the nature of light and darkness.

Match in a Haystack [85 minutes: in Ukrainian with English subtitles]
Executive Producer Misty Copeland and Emmy-winning director Joe Hill present a documentary on the resilience of Ukrainian artists. After Russia’s 2022 invasion, the women of Kyiv’s leading contemporary dance group rediscovered resistance through dance.