The Terebovlyanska AH of the Ternopil Oblast has completely reformatted the cultural sector. Out of 44 school and public libraries, 15 have been established, and 22 clubs have been transformed into 5 Culture and Leisure Centres

By Dmytro Synyak

There is a brick hanging on the rope in front of the entrance to the Culture and Leisure Centre in the village of Pidhaychyky of the Terebovlyanska AH, and the wind is slowly shaking it from side to side.

It is not an avant-garde art piece, but a usual joke of Lyudmila Shostopal, director of the Centre. According to her, the brick is a “weather forecaster”.

“If the brick is wet – it is raining, if the brick is dry – there is no rain, if the brick has a shadow – it is sunny, if it is not visible – it is foggy, if the brick is covered with something white – it is snowing, if the brick is fluttering – it is windy, if the brick is jumping – there is an earthquake, if the brick is covered with ice – it is frosty, if the brick is under water – it is a flood, if the brick has risen up – the gravity is lost, no brick seen – the data is being updated.”

There is a brick hanging on the rope in front of the entrance to the Culture and Leisure Centre in the village of Pidhaychyky of the Terebovlyanska AH

The house the brick is attached to, survived many owners and, probably, was born under a lucky planet. When the Terebovlyanska AH appeared in 2015, it was decided not to demolish the Pidhaychyky club, and after an overhaul it became one of the centres of local culture.

In general, the changes in the “cultural sector” of the Terebovlyanska AH may be qualified for a full-fledged local reform. So, the first step was to overhaul the five hub clubs and create Culture and Leisure Centre there to serve the surrounding villages. The second step was the relentless reduction of libraries and librarians.

The changes also affected the village clubs, transformed from untouchable and dilapidated temples of culture into the most common free spaces to be used for hromada needs.

 

 

Mykola Kuziv, head of the Department of Culture in the Terebovlya City Council

Mykola Kuziv and his “cultural brigades” have a lot of ideas on how to replenish the local culture budget.

Maria Biguliak, Information Service Instructor

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