One of Ukraine’s largest independent creative sanctuaries is facing an existential crisis after receiving an administrative mandate to permanently vacate its long-standing creative headquarters in Kyiv’s Shevchenkivskyi district.
The “Nahirna 22” collective, which functions inside an unused office block belonging to the State Scientific and Production Corporation “Kyiv Institute of Automation,” was notified that its access will be terminated on May 31.
Bureaucratic repurposing
The threat of eviction originates from the State Migration Service of Ukraine (SMS), which oversees the state-owned corporate facilities on Nahirna Street. Government offices intend to fully repurpose the vacant structural wings to house localized administrative branches of the SMS and processing units of the state-run passport enterprise “Document.”
Members of the art initiative revealed that the state balance holder has repeatedly blocked attempts to formalize their tenancy, refusing to register official commercial lease agreements through the State Property Fund of Ukraine.
Operating through the “Nahirna” non-governmental organization, the collective has published an open letter urging regional and national leaders to engage in a constructive compromise to save the community infrastructure.
The creative squat originally materialized in 2019 when a small group of contemporary artists began utilizing the derelict, non-functioning corporate facilities of the automation institute. Over nearly seven years of growth, the site evolved into an indispensable pillar of Kyiv’s independent visual arts scene.
The ecosystem now coordinates over 200 contemporary painters, sculptors, and multimedia designers, with 40 artists maintaining permanent working studios on a steady commercial footing.
Launched publicly during the “Open Studios Day” in October 2019, Nahirna 22 has mounted international educational projects, independent curatorial forums, and group exhibitions in Berlin, Warsaw, and Los Angeles.
A target of drone strikes and a hub of resilience
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, the collective repositioned its operations to function as a frontline platform for wartime cultural preservation and civil resistance.
The physical structure itself has borne heavy physical scars from the war, suffering direct structural damage during two separate Russian kamikaze drone strikes on the capital. Rather than abandoning the site, the community collaborated with international cultural funds and volunteer initiatives to crowd-source more than Hr. 800,000 ($18,000) to repair the building’s shattered windows and blown-out facades.
Fundraising events were hosted specifically by partner networks at the Ukrainian House in Warsaw and the Hotel Continental Art Space in Exile in Berlin to fund the repairs.
Artists argue that dismantling the collective during an ongoing war constitutes a severe blow to the country’s independent civilian infrastructure. Given the site’s integration into multiple active EU grant programs, community leadership held an initial emergency meeting with representatives of SE “Document” to explore temporary co-existence pathways before the end-of-month deadline arrives.