St Petersburg is preparing for the 12th International Forum of United Cultures, which will take place from 24 to 26 September.
The forum programme encompasses not only theatre, music and museums, but also artificial intelligence, digital platforms and new formats for international cultural cooperation.
The main theme of the 2026 forum is ‘United Cultures – Shared Values’. According to the published business programme, the discussions will cover music, cinema, the media, museums, the circus, theatre, cultural education, heritage, youth projects and international humanitarian cooperation. One of the central questions is how traditional cultural institutions are changing under the influence of technology, and where the line lies between a new tool and a new cultural reality.
Artificial intelligence is the subject of several dedicated strands. Its role will be discussed in relation to music, feature film, theatre, museum practice, art education and heritage work. Separate sessions will address how young artists interact with AI. The cinema programme includes a discussion on the relationship between theatrical distribution, television and digital platforms, as well as international projects. Confirmed participants include the directors of Russia’s largest museums and theatres, film directors, musicians and media executives; the theatre strand is expected to welcome representatives from India, Vietnam, Turkey, Colombia, Tunisia and other countries.
The forum will not, however, be confined to the conference halls. From 23 to 27 September, the St Petersburg Seasons festival will run alongside it. As Vedomosti reports, its programme features more than 100 performances, concerts, exhibitions, guided tours and special events.
Among them are a performance by the Alicia Alonso National Ballet of Cuba, two programmes from the Boris Eifman Ballet Theatre, productions by the Alexandrinsky and Mikhailovsky Theatres and the Maly Drama Theatre – Theatre of Europe, as well as the opening of the St Petersburg Philharmonia season.
The museum programme encompasses the Hermitage, the Russian Museum, St Isaac’s Cathedral and the Peter and Paul Fortress. The Manege will host «Setting», a project marking the 150th anniversary of the Union of Theatre Workers of Russia, while ROSPHOTO presents «Russia-1896», an exhibition dedicated to the anniversary of the Nizhny Novgorod Industrial and Art Exhibition. The excursion itinerary includes Peterhof, Pavlovsk and Tsarskoye Selo.
And so, for a few September days, the professional forum becomes something close to a cultural map of St Petersburg: from algorithms, digital cinema and AI debates to ballet, museum collections and imperial parks.
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