Olena is the Chairperson of CSO “Centre of Cultural Development “Totem” in Ukraine. In her native city Kherson, together with her team, she created an education-and-culture space “Urban CAD” (Creativity. Art. Development) on the base of former industrial space using European practices of art-revitalisation, which she studied in EU since 2014. In 2021 after graduation from “Digital lab: art residencies managers” supported by House of Europe, she founded international art-residence in Kherson region, where Ukrainian and European artists and culture activists cooperated.

As culture manager, Olena graduated from training course provided by Center of culture management (Lviv, UA) and experts of European Culture Foundation (2010-2011), “SWIЖE” Program and training course for culture managers, Sweden (2008), “Looking Inside” fellowship program, Poland (2004).

“Until February 24, 2022, my team and I had grandiose plans, but they were all destroyed by the invasion of the Russian army. My city has been occupied since the first days of the invasion.  I was forced to leave my house, my office, everything that I lived with, because it was dangerous to stay in occupation – a lot of Ukrainian activists were kidnaped and disappeared in Kherson. I decided to stay in Ukraine and do everything in my power to stop this war, to help people endure. The support of EU countries is extremely important for Ukraine now. My project within the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Fellowship allows me to unite artists, activists, volunteers who are refugees in different cities but staying strong for freedom. It is great possibility to tell our stories to the wider European audience – stories of ordinary Ukrainians who became extraordinary because of this war.” – Olena AFANASIEVA