Nick Cave, nano sprays and the first architecture academy for kids; news you may have missed

Manhattan Short Film Festival hits Voronezh

This year’s Manhattan Short Film Festival has toured 30 Russian cities as part of its world tour of 26 countries. The event, unique for its method of inviting audiences to cast their vote for the film they want to win, travelled through a number of lesser-known regions before arriving in Moscow and St Petersburg, including Surgut, Voronezh and Yaroslavl. The festival features short films on a variety of topics in ground-breaking new formats and includes graphic-novel-style films, war retrospectives and socially conscious documentaries.

Curtain rises on Omsk experimental theatre festival

The annual Week of Experimental Theatre will kick off in the Siberian city of Omsk in October, turning the city into a stage for the duration of the event. Theatre groups from different regions, including Novosibirsk, Togliatti, Kemerovo, Khabarovsk and Moscow, will give 12 performances and 10 sketch shows written by contemporary playwrights. Masterclasses from teachers and theatre professionals will also be available for participants.

Nick Cave to play gigs in Moscow and St Petersburg as part of Spring 2015 tour

Australian singer Nick Cave has announced that he is going to play concerts in Moscow and St Petersburg as part of his world tour next spring. Joined by veteran musicians from previous tours, Cave will play songs from across his 40-year career, including tracks from last year’s album Push The Sky Away.

Russian scientists create a nano-spray to make shoes and clothes impervious to water

Russian scientists have created a nano-spray to protect shoes and clothes from water. The first of its kind, the spray was developed after the study of a lotus flower revealed petals covered with microscopic projections, causing any water falling on them to scatter and turn into balls. The creators of the spray have reproduced the effects of the protective coat, marketing the product to the wealthy.

Seminars on hip hop and rapping now underway in Yekterinburg

Budding rappers and musicians in Yekaterinburg can attend a series of seminars and workshops currently going on in the city. The programme, entitled Natural Products, combines seminars on writing music and lyrics as well as courses on speaking and performing in front of an audience. Students can also learn how to write lyrics, all under the tutelage of Russian hip hop artists including Nahum Bleek and Dry Ice from group Ek Playaz.

MEGA fashion week hits Yekaterinburg

One of Yekaterinburg’s most high-profile fashion events — MEGA Fashion Week — has kicked off for the sixth time, with an events programme running throughout October. Showcasing the latest collections from designers from across Russia at a number of runway events, the project will also comprise competitions, special projects and masterclasses with some of the city’s most famous stylists and designers.

The first archtiecture academy for kids opening in Ulyanovsk

A new children’s architecture academy is set to open this weekend, making it the first of its kind to be devoted to teaching children the basics of architecture. Specialists from Ulyanovsk State University will be among the staff at the new institution, with plans to launch online courses next year currently in the works. The training on offer will cover a number of fields, including drawing, painting, architecture and sculpture.