Russia

Russian Federation Российская Федерация  By: Stefanie Nowak

Russia is a land where the winters are endless, the vodka flows like water and the country’s turbulent political history is still evident in the impressive and colourful architecture and public spaces. Russia is the largest country in the world sharing borders with Norway, Finland, Estonia, North Korea, Mongolia, China, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, Lithunania, and Latvia. It has a population of 141,927,297 and covering one ninth of the world has an area of 17,075,400 km sq. Russia has the world's largest mineral reserves, energy resource reserves, forest reserves, energy superpower, and its lakes contain about one fourth of the world's fresh water!

80% of people in Russia are Russian, 4% Tatar, 2% Ukrainian, 14% others. Russian is the official language and there are more than 140 languages and dialects throughout the country. The literacy rate is 99.4%! Life expectancy is age 60 for men and 73 for women. Russia has branches of government including the executive which is the president/prime minister (chairman of the government). Also the legislative and judicial are present. The main agriculture products are grain, sugar beets, sunflower seeds, meat, and dairy products. Russia’s main exports are petroleum, chemicals, wood, and metals. Specifically to America, Russia exports oil/gas equipment, autos/parts, meat, aircraft, electrical machinery, medical equipment, plastics, cosmetics, and chemicals. Moscow is Russia’s capital and largest city.

The history of Russia begins with an East Slavic warrior Viking founding the first East Slavic state Kievan Rus' around the 8th century AD. The culture of Russia formed at this time from Byzantine and Slavic cultures as well as the Russian Orthodox religion. Kievan Rus' eventually fell apart in smaller states until Moscow served as the main source for Russian unification and independence. In the 18th century the Russian Empire became the third largest in the world! The Russian Federation went through a series of rulers and changes in names and year in order: Rurik Dynasty 862, Kievan Rus' 862, Vladimir-Suzdal Rus' 1169, Grand Duchy of Moscow 1283, Tsardom of Russia 1547, Russian Empire 1721, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic 1917, Union of Soviet Socialists Republic 1922, and finally Russian Federation 1991. The Soviet Union fought indirectly with the United States in the Cold War 1947-1953.


 * Arts Education Reflective of Russian Culture**

Russia's educational system has produced nearly 100% literacy. About 7 million students attended Russia's 1,090 institutions of higher education in 2006, but continued reform is critical to producing students with skills to adapt to a market economy. Because great emphasis is placed on science and technology in education, Russian medical, mathematical, scientific, and space and aviation research is still generally of a high order. Even though the education system chooses to emphasize what the economy demands, art is still greatly practiced and appreciated within their culture, surroundings and institutions. The general views of arts education in Russian culture is reflected through the founding characteristics of art institutes and academies. Russia values art education and intertwines their culture in the artistic environments. Culture aspects of each institute range from having an art history library next to the artist's work zone to having the Russian influenced building design as a part of the artistic environment. An example of how arts education is reflective of Russian culture is //The Russian Academy of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture.// Founded by IIya Glazunov, the academy holds traditions of high realism where young artists work to attain mastery from the legacy of the artists of the past. As artists they are immersed in the beautiful and harmonious surroundings. The interior designs of the building is similar to the grandeur of majestic Russian interiors of the various palaces in St. Petersburg, Pavlovsk, and Tsarskoye Selo.

In a non-art institution, ie. a general university and in the growing economy, the arts are not favored as much as science, math, and technology. Although the Russian architecture, culture, and large amount of art programs are popular the country shows more emphasis on logical subjects. Its cultural tradition is rich, and there are many museums devoted to art, literature, music, dance, history, and science, as well as hundreds of churches and dozens of notable cathedrals. Information from the federal component of the state standard
 * //General Elementary// has the following compulsory core subjects: Russian language, literature and reading, foreign language, mathematics, world environment, **__arts, music__//__,__//** technology, physical education.
 * //General Secondary Education// has the following compulsory subjects: Russian language, literature, foreign language, mathematics, informatics and information and communication technologies, history social studies, geography, physics, chemistry, __**arts (fine arts and music)**__, biology, technology, physical education.

==Postnik Yakovlev ( Постник Яковлев)  == Postnik Yakovlev was a famous Russian architect known for creating a masterpeice, The Cathedral of Intercession of Theotokos on the Moat, on Red Square in Moscow. This Russian Orthodox cathedral is also known as Saint Basil's Cathedral after the "holy fool of Christ," the Orthodox Saint Basil. The Cathedral erected 1555 - 1561 to commemorate the capture of Kazan and Astrakhan after the Russo-Kazan Wars. The Cathedral was built by the order of Ivan IV who was the grand Price of Moscow. It contains ten churches total 8 were first built around the 9th (intercession) and the tenth was later built in 1588 over Saint Basil's grave. "The building's design is shaped as a flame of a bonfire rising into the sky."

Postnik Yakovlev also designed the walls of the Kazan Kremlin, the cheif historic citadel of Tartarstan in the city of Kazan. Ivan IV also urged this design to be created by Yaklovlev and to be built on the former castle ruins of the Kazan Khans. Yoklovlev also designed the walls of the Cathedral of the Assumption in Kazan in 1562.

The legend of Postnik Yakovlev: Ivan IV also known as "Ivan the Terrible" blindfolded Yakovlev so that he could never build something as beautiful as the Saint Basil's Cathedral ever again. This however is a myth becuase the creation of the Kazan Kremlin and the Cathedral of the Assumption followed the famous Saint Basil's Cathedral.

Originally from Pskov, his nickname was Barma meaning mumbler and another was Postnik meaning fast. He is known formally as Postnik Yokovlev although his real name might be Ivan Yakolvevich Barma. 

Theatre Union of the Russian Federation The Theatre Union of the Russian Federation is a non-governmental organization of theatre professionals that was first establish as the Compassionate Actor's Benefit Society in 1877. After the first 100 years the Theatre Union saw many changes in name and as an association. The headquarters is in Moscow with 75 local branches and 25,000 members.Theatre "activities aim at comprehensive promotion of the development of theatre and performing arts in Russia in the entirety of its forms with an emphasis on rendering special assistance to regions that are geographically remote from Russian and European "culture centres." The cultural policy includes the principles of positioning and performing arts. The Union Theatre helps with state of municipal structure issues and problem solving pertaining to other theatres. In 2005 the Union Theatre prevented the Russian government's bill on toughening the control of budget funding of theatres. The theatre created a campaign and as a result the bill was sent back to the government for revision. The main source of the Theatre Union's revenues are membership fees, earnings from affiliates, and sponsorships and target grants. The Theatre Union of the Russian Federation gives about 70 scholarships to theatre specialists and about 50 grants to theatre professionals. "The Union Theatre founded the own publishing art house A.R.T. (Art Director Theatre)." Along with the publishing art house the Theatre Union has a library that is "one of Russia's most authoritative repositories of literature and archives relating to writings on the theatre arts.

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The artistic programs that the Theatre Union of the Russian Federation are involved in include: Drama theatre, musical theatre, opera, ballet, contemporary dance, theatre for children and youth, puppet theatre, amateur theatre, scenography, theatre criticism, dramaturgy, directors guild, theatre management, and professional education. Some examples are listed below.

The program's goal include renovation of the repertory theatre for children, attract new creative forces and generation of spectators, and to approve the Children's Theatre Institute as an important cultural institution shaping the future value of civil society.
 * //Theatre for Children and Adolescents//**
 * //Educational Projects:// The Theatre Union has workshops and classes for directors, authors writing for children, and other professionals working for a younger audience.
 * //The First World Festivals of Schools//: There will be sixteen theatrical schools in the program which includes performances, educational projects, a special project for children with disabilities, an interactive festival for children and adults.
 * //Grants for Staging Performances for Children//: The Theatre Union of the Russian Federation establishes grants for staging performances for children under the age of twelve in the Drama Theatre, Young People/Youth Puppet Theatre.

//**Support for Russian Theatres of CIS and Baltic**// The program supports the formation and support of connectivity of Russian-speaking theatrical space, improving the socio-political and socio-cultural role and prestige of the Russian theatre, self-expression and the demand for talent, the flowering of dramatic art.
 * //International Summer School//: The aim of the project is to train a new generation of actors and the promotion if its professional development, establishing the creative and human relations, and exchange of experiences between young artists from different countries.
 * //Educational Projects//: Young actors are engaged under the direction of the renowned Russian theatre universities acting skills, stage movement, and stage speech. Workshops are also conducted for directors, theatre critics, and journalists.
 * //Festival//s: Radio Festival "Theatre at the Microphone" is the Theatre Union of the Russian Federation and the Voice of Russia's project. The goal is to enable millions of radio listeners to join the world of Russian Theatre.

Teacher Training Programs In Russia there are three levels of teacher training, primary, secondary and higher level teachers. For non-university level educational institutions train teachers for pre-primary and primary schools. The course lasts for five years and graduates then may exercise the profession. Russia believes the arts are valuable at a young age and they make an effort to incorporate music and art in the primary and secondary training. Training of secondary school teachers is carried out in a university level institution. This program also lasts for five years. Fine arts and music Training of higher educators or university teachers must follow post-graduate training. A scientific degree is compulsory. Lectures are appointed on a contract basis by the departments, tenured professors are appointed by the university. There is no training in the art for the university level teacher.

<span style="color: #800080; display: block; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 200%; text-align: center;">Funding Arts Education Programs Fifty funds were created in Russia after a law on endowment funds was past. The Development of Endowments in Russia estimates that 70% of these funds totaled 2.7 billion rubles (90 million US dollars). "Only the country’s strongest and largest organizations are able to establish an endowment fund, and in the education sector, more than half of the funds are designed to support leading universities", said Maria Chertok, director of the Charities Aid Foundation Russia.

“In general, donations to the whole education market, including all its segments, even primary education, come to about $50 million a year,” said Chernyshkova of Skolkovo. “Russia has only a few companies that might be willing to even discuss a contribution of $10 million.”

With the increasing size of endowment funds, every university in the world that has state financing faces the risk of this source of funding being cut short. There are two development models of endowment funds: the American and the European. In America, education is mainly in private hands, and endowments, in addition to tuition fees, form the basis of schools’ funding. In Russia, as in Europe, state funding dominates in the education sector. Consequently, endowments could become a great help but not a substitute for budgetary financing.

<span style="color: #800080; display: block; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 200%; text-align: center;">Conclusion Russia has an environment filled with beautiful architecture and people who truly appreciate art. Their culture dates back to the 8th century and has come a long way shaping its artists and influencing details in every piece of art. Russia has held on to their traditions mostly because it is not a very diverse country (80% Russians). The educational focus is math and science, more so than the US. There education system is very similar to the US with the subject taught and with the three levels of education: primary, secondary and higher. I was surprised about the value Russians place on arts outside of the education system (excluding the art institutions). I was also surprised about the general fact of Russia like the size, amount of water, and natural resources. Along with the subjects I needed to research I also found many things Russia is famous for including putting the first man in to outer-space, the ballet The Nutcracker, it's Cyrillic alphabet, and the famous tennis player Anna Kournikova. I am now very interested in visiting this country and have done further research on pop-culture, traditional clothing and more.



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<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 120%; text-align: center;">Bibliography

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Kalman, Bobbie. //Russia: The Culture//. Library and Archives Canada Cataloging in Publication, 1969.

Long, Delbert H. //Education of Teachers in Russia//. West Port, CT: Greenwood Press, 1999.

"Russian Education Endowments Lag Behind." Moscow Times Career Center. http://www.themoscowtimes.com/careercenter/article/406099.html

Russian Info-Centre. @http://www.russia-ic.com/education_science/education/system/103/

Theatre Union of the Russian Federation. @http://www.stdrf.com/