Calvert 22 Foundation
Nonna Materkova established the Calvert 22 Foundation in 2009. She was an economist born in Leningrad and living in London at that time. The organization focused on twenty-nine countries across eastern Europe, Russia, the Balkans, and Central Asia. This region became known as the New East within their work. Their goal was to build opportunities for emerging creative talent there. They aimed to support contemporary culture and the creative economy of the area. In-depth research and analysis formed a core part of their mission statement.
The foundation opened its first physical venue in 2009 called Calvert 22 Gallery. It later changed its name to Calvert 22 Space by 2016. The gallery occupied two floors inside a converted warehouse on Calvert Avenue in Shoreditch, East London. That street historically connected to immigrants from Eastern Europe. Over nine years, the space hosted exhibitions featuring over one thousand five hundred artists and photographers. Names like Sanja Iveković and Alexander Brodsky appeared on those walls. Curators such as Isaac Julian and David Thorp guided the shows. A photography exhibition named Close and Far received praise from The Guardian in 2014. It ranked among the ten best photography exhibitions globally that year. The venue also housed a bookshop and a café hosting pop-up events. Calvert 22 Space closed its doors in December 2018. Most activities moved online after that closure date.
In 2013, the organization launched The Calvert Journal as a digital magazine. This publication covered contemporary culture including art, film, architecture, design, fashion, and avant-garde movements. An editorial team based in London updated the site daily with reportage and commentary. They worked alongside a network of contributors located throughout the New East region. Initially, the journal focused primarily on Russia before expanding its scope. By later years, it included all twenty-nine countries within the defined New East area. The platform served as a primary channel for sharing research and cultural analysis. It ceased publication in 2022 following the suspension of operations by the foundation.
The foundation collaborated with major cultural institutions like Tate Modern and the State Hermitage Museum. Other partners included the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Science Museum. Academic partnerships formed with universities such as Oxford, Cambridge, and Edinburgh. A specific agreement with Smolny College began in 2012 to enable student exchanges. In 2013, they created Calvert Forum, a think tank researching creative enterprise roles. That group generated forums, talks, and reports on economic development. A long-term collaboration with PricewaterhouseCoopers started in 2016. This partnership developed the Creative Capital Index for publication. Until 2017, Russian state-owned VTB Bank provided backing for their work. Chairman Alexei Kudrin remained a board trustee until 2022.
May 2016 marked the establishment of the New East Photo Prize. This award recognized representations of social, cultural, and physical landscapes within the region. The inaugural exhibition ran from November to December 2016. In 2017, the foundation dedicated an entire year to marking the centenary of the Russian Revolution. They titled this season The Future Remains: Revisiting Revolution. It partnered with St Petersburg's Hermitage Museum to deliver events and digital content. A mobile application called The New East Travel Guide connected city travelers to local culture. Locations included Moscow, St Petersburg, Sochi, Kazan, Voronezh, and Tbilisi. These initiatives aimed to deepen knowledge through diverse cultural outputs.
The Calvert 22 Foundation announced the closure of operations in 2022. They cited safety concerns for staff and colleagues amid threats to media freedom in Russia. That same year, Russia designated the organization as an undesirable entity. The publication known as The Calvert Journal ceased its updates during this period. Operations remained suspended indefinitely following these geopolitical shifts. Nonna Materkova had led the charity since its inception in 2009. The foundation focused on twenty-nine countries across eastern Europe, Russia, the Balkans, and Central Asia until that point. Their work ended after the invasion of Ukraine began in early 2022.
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Common questions
Who established the Calvert 22 Foundation and when?
Nonna Materkova established the Calvert 22 Foundation in 2009. She was an economist born in Leningrad who lived in London at that time.
Where did the Calvert 22 Gallery operate before it closed?
The foundation opened its first physical venue called Calvert 22 Gallery on Calvert Avenue in Shoreditch, East London. It later changed its name to Calvert 22 Space by 2016 and occupied two floors inside a converted warehouse until December 2018.
What years did The Calvert Journal publish content for the New East region?
The organization launched The Calvert Journal as a digital magazine in 2013. This publication ceased updates in 2022 following the suspension of operations by the foundation.
Which institutions partnered with the Calvert 22 Foundation during its active years?
The foundation collaborated with major cultural institutions like Tate Modern and the State Hermitage Museum. Academic partnerships formed with universities such as Oxford, Cambridge, and Edinburgh while a specific agreement with Smolny College began in 2012.
When did the Calvert 22 Foundation announce the end of its operations?
The Calvert 22 Foundation announced the closure of operations in 2022 due to safety concerns for staff amid threats to media freedom in Russia. Their work ended after the invasion of Ukraine began in early 2022.