The Zarya Center for Contemporary Art first opened its doors in Vladivostok in 2013, as part of an initiative by entrepreneur and patron, Alexander Mechetin, the founder of Russia’s largest alcoholic beverage company, Novabev Group (ex-BELUGA GROUP). Zarya CCA is located within the Zarya creative cluster, in the space of the former sewing factory that gave the site its name.

Zarya CCA sees its mission in presenting the Primorye region with the best of contemporary art and culture from Russia and beyond, while also supporting artists and the local art community.

In its history, Zarya CCA has treated residents and guests of Vladivostok to some of the best Russian exhibitions in recent years, including “The Islands of Yuri Sobolev” (2016), “Architecture: Doomed to Optimism” (2018), “Metageography: Orientalism and Dreams of Robinsons” (2018). Zarya CCA has also originated its own exhibition projects, such as, “Gosha Ostretsov. Autotrans N.G.” (2014); “HER” (2015), curated by Oksana Sarkisian; “Badlands” (2016), curated by Andrei Erofeev; and “Perpetuum Mobile. Russian Kinetic Art” (2017), curated by Polina Borisova. These projects have all been oriented towards fostering the development of the local art scene, while attracting curators, art historians and museum professionals of the highest level to Primorye. Among the lenders and partners in the organization and preparation of Zarya CCA’s exhibitions are some of the largest private and state collections and museums in Russia, including the State Tretyakov Gallery, the Moscow Museum of Modern Art, the Shchusev Museum of Architecture, the State Museum of V.V. Mayakovsky, the Moscow Central State Cinema Museum, and ROSIZO State Museum and Exhibition Center.

Since the second half of 2014, CCA Zarya has operated the only Artist-in-Residence program in the Far East, offering artists from different cities and countries the opportunity to realize projects in Vladivostok, with an eye on the unique regional, cultural and natural context the city has to offer.

Zarya’s Chief Curator of the project from 2014 to 2023 was Alisa Bagdonaite.

Avenue of the 100th Anniversary of Vladivostok, 155, Workshop 2, Entrance 10, 2^nd Floor