Art-Group Yav

In 2015, Anastasia Vladychkina founded the street art group Yav. She and her collaborators wanted to promote their core values—democracy, human rights, feminism, and peace. 

The catch? Yav operates in Russia, where the collective’s embrace of Western and European ideas can’t be making it popular with the government. And Anastasia isn’t just standing up for her beliefs. She’s also carving out a place for women in street art, where they make up only about 10% of the community. “We are confident that our creativity and active stance contribute to changing this situation,” she explains, “opening new horizons and opportunities for talented women in the world of art and activism.” 

Yav will use our grant to buy materials for new artwork and actions, including paint, rollers, stencils, and wire. Anastasia hopes the work (she has over 100 ideas for new projects!) will contribute to “the creation of a more open, tolerant, and diverse art world, opposing sexism, ageism, and other forms of discrimination.” Go ahead, Yav! Paint the town!