This conversation took place during the Congress of Arts Initiatives for Health within Healing Arts Lviv. The discussion touched on the impact of the war on Ukraine’s healthcare system, shifts in Lviv’s cultural policy, and the role of art in recovery and strengthening community resilience.
Speakers:
Oksana Pyzyk, Associate Professor at the UCL School of Pharmacy — on the scale of challenges facing Ukraine’s healthcare system, the need to support medical workers, and the practice of social prescribing in the UK;
Andriy Moskalenko, First Deputy Mayor of Lviv — on how culture contributes to the city’s recovery;
Ondřej Chrást, former Deputy Minister of Culture of the Czech Republic — on the Czech experience of addressing collective trauma and supporting Ukrainian cultural initiatives;
Henry Redwood, Lecturer at the Department of War Studies, King’s College London — on the trauma-attuned arts model;
Ulyana Furiv — on the UAx platform, scholarships, mentorship, and training programs for art universities in Ukraine.
Moderator: Yulia Hnat, co-founder of the NGO Museum of Contemporary Art.
Congress of Arts and Health Initiatives is part of Healing Arts Lviv, a project that took place from July 20 to 27, 2025, in Lviv. It brought together artists, educators, healthcare and social workers, as well as representatives of government and international organizations to explore art as a tool for healing.