Nizhnevartovsk Hosts Inaugural A City Open to All Festival Courtesy of SIBUR

22 september 2025

September 20 saw the debut of the inclusive festival A City Open to All in Nizhnevartovsk. Hosted at the city's Oktyabr Palace of Culture, the event was supported by SIBUR under its Formula for Good Deeds social investment program, aiming to promote an inclusive society by providing socialization and support tools to people with disabilities. More than 850 guests attended the event.

At the opening ceremony, Viktor Mylnikov, the city's Deputy Mayor and Director of the Department for Public Communications and Youth Policy, thus addressed the festival’s attendees:
"Our administration has been consistently backing SIBUR's kind initiatives. We take pride in knowing that our city of Nizhnevartovsk was selected to host this inclusive festival. Events like this open new horizons for people with disabilities. We're actively working on making our city barrier-free. This includes a recent relaunch of the Victory Park. And we're committed to making all key public spaces accessible to all. True accessibility, however, is rooted in one’s ability to communicate with local communities, with the city and with the world on an equal footing."

Oleg Romanov, CEO of Zapsibtransgas:
"Developing our cities of presence is a principal objective of SIBUR, and today's event shows we're making progress. We succeed because festivals like this one make every participant feel valued and essential. The inclusive A City Open to All festival is a unique event where barriers get erased, and what remains in their stead is openness, creativity, and dialogue. Here, regardless of their personal faculties or abilities, everyone could feel to be a part of a broader community. We are extremely pleased that Nizhnevartovsk is hosting this event today. It signifies our city's evolution into an even more open and welcoming place for all residents."

The festival’s activities took place at three key locations: the area outside the Oktyabr Palace of Culture, the building's ground floor, and the concert hall. An outdoor photo exhibition titled "Inside Me I Dance" was open to visitors and city guests. Its main protagonist, Natalia Kaptelinina, an entrepreneur, public figure, and member of the State Duma, shared her story of finding the strength to help others through art following her tragic accident and a long road to recovery. A series of her portraits by Krasnoyarsk photographer Alexander Kupriyanov express Kaptelinina’s fascination with dance.

An open-air sports zone proved a major draw for proponents of active living. They were particularly fascinated by the foil fencing skills demonstrated by Nikolai Lukyanov, a member of the Russian national wheelchair fencing team, multiple winner of national championships, a European champion, and a two-time world champion.

Passionate contests unfolded at the robosumo arena, where attendees could watch gripping robot faceoffs and try their hand at controlling the metal-clad fighters. Those who were rather creatively inclined, were offered to take part in an effort by a group of local street artists led by Andrei Olkhovsky creating a collaborative art object.

A series of creative workshops offered attendees a chance to discover their talents and learn new artistic techniques. Instructors from Moscow's Inkluzin laboratory demonstrated how to craft unique handmade postcards. Artists from Nizhnevartovsk's YADRO art residence taught jewelry-making using recycled plastics. Staff of the local Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation Center for People with Disabilities gave lessons on creating keychains with the use of epoxy resin. Teachers from Pyt-Yakh’s Sozvezdie gymnasium introduced their students to the Ebru technique of paper marbling. Street artists showed willing attendees how to create graffiti on paper using just regular markers, while Anastasia Vislobokova, a blind perfume maker from a Moscow-based Pure Sense company, revealed her secrets of blending unique fragrances.

As for the fest’s younger guests, they could engage in face-painting at an aqua makeup station, which was complemented by treats of cotton candy and popcorn.

Nadezhda Yermanova, mother of a child with special needs:
"I absolutely love SIBUR's events! My son and I visited nearly every workshop today. And he was fascinated. This festival touches upon the crucially important theme of inclusion. It's truly vital to show healthy children that there are their peers with special needs out there, to explain there's no reason to fear them. Yes, they are different; some might require more attention and care, but in every other respect they are just the same: they love to play, make friends, and have fun."

Throughout the whole day, raffles offered the fest’s visitors a chance to win valuable prizes and gifts. The festival culminated in a fascinating inclusive concert featuring performers from Moscow and the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, including Natalia Ryzhova (Moscow); Victoria Pestereva, soloist of the 440 Hertz studio (Izluchinsk); Gulnaz Chebotar, soloist of the We Hear with Our Hearts ensemble (Nizhnevartovsk); the creative group from the Scarlet Sails inclusive center (Nizhnevartovsk); as well as ensembles from the Oktyabr Palace of Culture: the Biskvit vocal group, the Aktsent contemporary dance studio, and the Sharm choreography studio.

The A City Open to All festival premiered in Nizhnekamsk in 2025. It’s a follow-on to the You Can Do Anything project that ran from 2022 to 2024 with the support from SIBUR's Formula for Good Deeds program, focusing on motivating and providing psychological support to people with disabilities. Detailed information about the festival is available on the festival’s website at https://inclusivefest.formula-hd.ru/nizhnevartovsk, in the VKontakte group at https://vk.com/inclusivefest2025, and on Telegram channel at https://t.me/inclusivefest.

The Formula for Good Deeds, SIBUR’s social investment program was launched on February 1, 2016, in all key cities where the company operates. It is being implemented across seven focus areas covering all essential social sector domains: urban development, education and science, sports and healthy living, environmental protection, culture, inclusion, and volunteering. Detailed information about the program is available on the program’s website at www.formula-hd.ru.

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As for the fest’s younger guests, they could engage in face-painting at an aqua makeup station, which was complemented by treats of cotton candy and popcorn.

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As for the fest’s younger guests, they could engage in face-painting at an aqua makeup station, which was complemented by treats of cotton candy and popcorn.

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