With the support of the Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection the State Folklore Centre holds “National Folklore Festival of Georgia”. In connection with this, Press conference was held at the Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection on 12 March. Mikheil Giorgadze – Minister of Culture and Monument Protection, Giorgi Donadze – Executive Director of the State Folklore Centre, Anzor Erkomaishvili – Chairman of the Centre’s Supervisory Council talked about the event. The Festival comprises: folk song and dance, instrumental music, traditional church chant, oral folklore, fine and applied arts. According to the Festival regulations among the participants will be representatives of all ethnicities and ethnic groups of Georgia. The Festival which consists of Regional (2015) and Final rounds (2016), will officially open in Kakheti at the end of 2015, the laureate award ceremony and Gala concert will be held in 2016.

The winners selected by competent jury will be awarded I, II and III degree diplomas, prizes and monetary award.

The festival will manifest current situation in Georgian folklore, will encourage folk ensembles, church choirs, masters of oral folklore, fine and applied arts, and contribute to the popularization of their art, introducing them to wider audience. A DVD album “National Folklore Festival of Georgia 2015-2016” will be released. Folklorists, ethnomusicologists, choreographers-choreologists, chanters, church choir directors, dancers, authors-narrators, verse tellers, craftsmen will be actively involved in the Festival.

The State Folklore Centre boasts 80-year-exeperience of holding festivals. Realization of large-scale projects such as this is very important for presenting and maintaining national identity, introducing Georgian culture on international arena.