About us

The New East Digital Archive was created to preserve the legacy of The Calvert Journal: an online publication covering culture, innovation, photography and travel across the “New East” — an area which included Eastern Europe, the Balkans, the Caucasus, and Central Asia — between 2013 and 2022.

The Calvert Journal was launched by the Calvert 22 Foundation in March 2013. Its mission was to capture the region’s thriving and rapidly evolving cultural scene via daily features, news, photography, and travel reports.

Throughout its lifetime, the publication was consistently recognised for its wealth of original research, striking photography, and clarity of insight on a region that, despite its richness, often went under-reported in the global press.

It played a pivotal role in profiling and promoting the work of upcoming and emerging artists, many of whom went on to receive widespread recognition elsewhere.

The Calvert Journal ceased publication in February 2022, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Six months later, the Calvert 22 Foundation was designated as an “undesirable organisation” by Russia’s Justice Ministry for its sustained coverage of opposition voices.

The New East Digital Archive aims to celebrate the unique cultural era covered by The Calvert Journal and the Calvert 22 Foundation and ensure that the organisation’s work remains accessible to researchers, academics, and members of the public.