Georgian-Ukrainian electronic music festival ICKPA returns to Kyiv amid shared resistance to Russian imperialism
For the first time since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion, the major electronic music festival ICKPA returns to Kyiv, taking place on July 25-27.
Founded in 2021 through a collaboration between a local Ukrainian team and the renowned Georgian club Bassiani, ICKPA (pronounced “Iskra” which means “Spark” in Ukrainian was envisioned as an annual event, aimed at amplifying the voices of creative communities from Eastern European countries. It also serves as a platform for cultural exchange between the electronic scenes of Western and Eastern Europe.
With a diverse lineup, art installations, and public discussions, the festival goes beyond music — fostering dialogue between Ukraine and Georgia, two nations united by shared histories of resistance to Russian imperialism. Some 20% of Georgian territory has been occupied by Russia since its 2008 invasion. The country is now experiencing a growing resurgence of Russian influence on the political stage.
ICKPA views its return to Kyiv as a political act.
“To hold a festival in a place where cultural identity is under threat — to be present in Kyiv, where people fight — is a response to imperialist rhetoric,” reads their manifesto on Instagram.
Over the past four years, the festival has taken on a nomadic form, hosting events in Berlin, New York, and Prague, bringing Ukrainian artists — their voices, messages, and sounds — to the international stage.
This year’s lineup features 34 Ukrainian and international DJs and artists. International acts include British DJs Bruno Schmidt and Gwenan, as well as Danish electronic artist Kasper Marott. Ukrainian acts feature solo sets by DJs Ana B, Domnitsa, Evan Baggs, and Vera Logdanidi, alongside back-to-back sets from Amir & Sokolovskyi, M. Tkachenko, Cantrust & Monotronique, Eazy & Oleh, and more.
Kyiv’s jazz fusion collective Fusion Jams is also on the lineup. The full list is available on the festival’s Instagram page.
Beyond music, ICKPA will also host a public discussion titled “Politics of Resistance: Anticipation of the Future in Ukraine and Georgia.” Taking place at 8 p.m. on July 25, the event will bring together artists, activists, and scholars to explore Ukraine and Georgia’s future within the context of war and destruction.
“In the pursuit of equal, just, and solidaristic societies, it is essential to have powerful examples in the struggle — symbols that ground us and unite those around us. In the face of injustice and violence, the Ukrainian people's resistance has become one such symbol: a testament to the fight against occupation and oppression. It speaks not only to Georgia, but to our entire region and to a broader civilization striving for dignity and freedom,”
Visitors are welcome at the festival starting at 4 p.m. on July 25. Festival passes (three-day tickets) can be purchased online for Hr 1,400 ($33). One-day tickets are also available. For security reasons, the exact location will be announced just one day before the festival begins.
