The story of the collaboration between the organizing committee of the All-Ukrainian Project for young artists “Prosto Nebylytsi” and the State Postal Enterprise UKRPOSHTA dates back to 2016. Then, a few months before the grand sixth annual climax of the “Nebylytsi” creative marathon, the Project’s organizers approached the postal service with an invitation to join the partnership. After extended correspondence, the regional UKRPOSHTA communications department gave a positive response. One of the collaboration’s focal points was printing the Prosto Nebylytsi Own Stamp. Thus, 2016 became a milestone for the Project, marking its postal partner’s debut and the postal stamp release – “Prosto Nebylytsi 2016”- the beginning of the Project’s Own Stamp history.
On December 14, 2016, in the large and, to put it mildly, cold exhibition hall on the third floor of the Lviv Palace of Arts, it became noticeably warmer for a few hours. This warmth was due to the positive energy of the exhibition and the emotions radiated by the authors of the displayed artworks. Both adults and young participants at the event remarked on this. A significant number of guests from various Ukrainian regions attended the ceremony.
One of the event’s highlights was the presentation of the Prosto Nebylytsi 2016 Own Stamp and its ceremonial cancellation by guests and organizers. The first Own Stamp in the history of the Project and in the exhibition activities in Ukraine was presented as a gift to all official event participants. Young artists whose works were included in the exhibition collection, members of the International Qualification Jury, and Project partners who selflessly facilitated the successful implementation of the program received the stamp. The limited edition of the Prosto Nebylytsi 2016 Own Stamp has added to its value, making it a collector’s item. This is evidenced by the numerous inquiries from philatelists eager to add this stamp to their collections.
A few months after this event, the seventh Prosto Nebylytsi began. The organizing committee invited the postal communication leadership to continue the partnership. This time, UKRPOSHTA promptly responded to the offer and eagerly confirmed the agreement extension. Thus began another season of cooperation, evolving into a mutually beneficial tradition, marking eight successful years. Annually, a new Own Stamp Prosto Nebylytsi is presented to young artists during the culmination of the All-Ukrainian Project.
Clearly, the success of these initiatives owes much to the friendliness and effort of the UKRPOSHTA postal communication employees. In the early stages of the collaboration, Mrs. Iryna Chekh, head of the marketing department of the Lviv Directorate of the State Postal Enterprise, was the key contact. Today, these responsibilities are fulfilled by Mrs. Zoya Korzun, head of the postal services department. Thanks to the dedicated and friendly staff, the partnership between the Project’s organizing committee and the UKRPOSHTA directorate continues to strengthen. This ongoing annual cooperation requires attentiveness and openness from both parties.
Last year, UKRPOSHTA issued the Prosto Nebylytsi 2023 Own Stamp, designed for the eighth consecutive year by Serhiy Havrylovych, a permanent organizing committee member. The stamp, with its unique design, illustrates the distinctiveness of the Project. The Prosto Nebylytsi and UKRPOSHTA collaboration thus continues to enrich the representation of Ukrainian culture globally. The annual Prosto Nebylytsi stamp has reached authors of artistic works included in the 2023 exhibition collection and members of the International Qualification Jury in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Lithuania, Switzerland, Japan, and several Ukrainian cities. Notably, the Prosto Nebylytsi 2023 Own Stamp became, by the time of the Finissage of the exhibition in Lviv (14.01.2024), a symbolic representation of Ukraine’s cultural heritage worldwide.
The image on the stamp extends the visualization of the Project’s exhibition part, as a fragment of one participant’s work exclusively represents the entire year’s collection on the postal stamp.
“On behalf of the organizers, coordinators, and regular partners of the Project participants, and personally, I extend my sincere gratitude to the State Postal Enterprise UKRPOSHTA for nurturing our collaboration for the eighth consecutive year. I pay tribute to the People who collaborate with the Project’s organizing committee in a friendly and professional manner, proudly representing the well-known postal communication brand, recognizing their work as not only fulfilling official duties but also as a high level of conscious participation in promoting Ukrainian art on the international stage.
Thank you to everyone involved in the development of the Project, helping young creators lacking guardianship to find their place in the world of art. Together, we are creating the history we can already be proud of!” – Artistic Director of the Project, Andriy Sendetskyy.
