The II Forum-festival #Patron's Day starts on April 7.

On April 7, the II Forum-festival #Patron's Day will start, dedicated to the private support of culture and art in Russia.

The II Forum-festival #Patron's Day is a unique disciplinary space for the formation of a new culture of patronage as a social value. Its special feature is a combination of expert discussion, practical formats and a broad festival program that goes beyond one venue and covers leading institutions in Moscow and the regions.

A special place in the program of the Forum-festival is occupied by the All-Russian online flash mob #Patron's Day, which has traditionally become its recognizable tradition. Every year, it brings together participants from different cities — representatives of cultural and educational institutions, businesses, the non—profit sector, and private initiatives - around the idea of publicly thanking patrons and supporting culture. The flash mob is becoming not just a digital event, but part of a common cultural practice: a way to make patronage visible, emphasize its importance, and engage a wider audience in this conversation.

A joint opening press conference of the State Historical Museum, the Donors Forum and the Presidential Foundation for Cultural Initiatives, with the participation of government authorities, the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation, donor organizations and charitable foundations. Journalists, media channels, and bloggers are invited. Participants will talk about the business and festival program, the All-Russian online flash mob #Patron's Day. During the discussion, the participants will discuss the role of patronage in the preservation and development of cultural heritage as one of the key social values.

Plenary session "The strategy of new patronage: from support to co-authorship"

The session is devoted to a conversation about how the image of a modern philanthropist is being formed today and what place it occupies in the cultural and public agenda.

Participants will discuss how patronage differs from charity and why cultural support is increasingly perceived not as help, but as a conscious investment in reputation, environmental development and quality of life.

The focus is on the issue of interaction between business and culture: what prevents them from speaking the same language, why businesses are still cautious about culture and cultural institutions about financing, and what conditions are needed to build trust and partnership.

A separate topic will be the role of patrons in the cultural ecosystem: whether culture can really rely only on government support or the participation of private initiatives remains a prerequisite for its development.

The participants will also try to answer one of the key questions: why, with the growing number of wealthy people, the number of patrons does not increase proportionally, and what barriers, institutional or value-based, continue to hinder the development of patronage.

For 21 days, from April 7 to 27, museums, theaters, philharmonic halls, festival and musical groups, as well as sightseeing centers throughout the country will hold special events dedicated to the Patron's Day and tell about the participation of philanthropists and patrons in their activities. About 30 participants are expected all over Russia. The event poster is posted on the Forum-Festival website.