Yuri Bashmet: "The National Centre RUSSIA is a space for creators from all over the country"

People's Artist of the USSR Yuri Bashmet praised the significance of the National Centre RUSSIA as a space that brings together talented individuals from across the country. On Russia Day, visitors to the National Centre RUSSIA enjoyed immortal works by great Russian composers as part of the All-Russian classical music marathon "Cantata. Russia."

The works were performed by the State Symphony Orchestra "New Russia" conducted by People's Artist of the USSR and Hero of Labour of the Russian Federation Yuri Bashmet, opera singer and Honoured Artist of Russia Ildar Abdrazakov, and the State Academic Choir Capella of Russia named after Alexander Yurlov, led by People's Artist of Russia Gennady Dmitryak.

According to conductor Yuri Bashmet, the space of the National Centre RUSSIA brings together not only talented musicians and performers, but also figures from literature and science. The People's Artist emphasised that the state is currently supporting the achievements of outstanding representatives from various fields.

"The more spaces like the National Centre RUSSIA we have, the better. The most important thing is that a person should create. It doesn't matter whether it's literature, music, science, or medicine — a person should be a creator, have motivation and a goal. That's why the emergence of a place like the National Centre RUSSIA is so important. And if another ten centres are opened — all the better!" said Yuri Bashmet.

By the end of 2025, on the instructions of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, branches of the National Centre RUSSIA will open in five regions of the country. The regions were selected based on the results of project proposals submitted by 15 regions. Thus, branches of the National Centre RUSSIA will appear in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area – Yugra, the Ryazan region, Sevastopol, and the Primorye and Krasnoyarsk regions.

Ahead of the opening of the National Centre RUSSIA branch in Krasnoyarsk, the region's stand, which had previously been presented at the International RUSSIA EXPO in Moscow, has already begun operating.