The Arkhangelsk International Street Theatre Festival's aim is to create an environment where artists and audiences can explore different ideas, issues and artistic styles without any restrictions.

Organized in 1990 by the Victor Panov Theatre Co the Arkhangelsk Street Theatre Festival is the unique festival of this type in Russia. Practically every year in early summer it accepts more than 15 companies from all over the world. During these years about 200 best theatres from France, USA, Germany, Poland, Holland, Italy, Spain, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Switzerland, Japan, India, Australia, England, Finland, Canada, Ukraine, Armenia, Israel, the South Africa and of course from Russia participated in the Festival.

In 1992 the project "Arkhangelsk International Street Theatre Festival" was awarded by the World Decade for Cultural Development label proclaimed by UNESCO.

The Arkhangelsk International Street Theatre Festival is a ten-days street-arts festival that encourages new and innovative work. The official Opening Ceremony is forestalled by the traditional carnival in the main street of Arkhangelsk which always gathers a lot of people. It's the main hit of
the festival with no doubt. The traditional carnival for the performers who paraded around the city is followed by thousands of spectators opens the Festival and closes it in the Arkhangelsk birthday's party.

For 10 days the city transforms into one big outdoor stage where all street art tendencies are mixed. In all directions of the city at the same time the participants from different countries begin their shows. During the festival every day the artistic night club works where the artists will be able to communicate, to share their impressions, to exchange their artistic experience free and easy.

Every year all citizens of our city, young and old alike, wait with impatience the beginning of the Festival. According to the generally accepted view of the public, the Festival is a really holiday for everybody in Arkhangelsk.