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About 8,000 foreign nationals visit Vitebsk for Slavianski Bazaar without visas

VITEBSK, 30 July (BelTA) - About 8,000 foreign nationals attended the International Festival of Arts Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk this year as part of the visa-free access program, the director of the festival Gleb Lapitsky told a press conference, BelTA has learned.

The festival featured more than 160 events which were attended by more than 300,000 people. “We sold a total of 72,000 tickets, 10% more than last year. We really appreciated the visa-free access privilege. About 8,000 foreigners took advantage of it. In Latvia we debuted on the ticket sales platform. Last year we sold over 50 tickets in Latvia. This year it was nearly 1,300 tickets, thanks to the platform. This line of work holds a great promise. We already are negotiating with Estonia and Lithuania over access to their online sales markets,” Gleb Lapitsky said.

Analyzing the program of the festival the directorate is thinking of cutting down on the number of events in the Summer Amphitheater. Last year there were 18 events. This year's program included 16. The optimal number is 12 to 14 events, Gleb Lapitsky said. “We did have organizational overlaps. We also need to take into account the attendance potential. Vitebsk Concert Hall proved its 100% worth this year. All its concerts were sold out. Not all the performers love large-scale venues. Some prefer a 1,000-seat hall,” the director of the Slavianski Bazaar said.

The jazz program of the festival will be expanded next year. There are plans to use Victory Square as a forum platform. New venues can be developed, too. “We expect proposals from the public. With the feedback, it will be much easier for us to work. We are okay with criticism and expect a constructive dialogue,” Gleb Lapitsky said.

When asked about the plans for celebrities for the next edition, Gleb Lapitsky stated that it was too early to talk about that. He added, however, that Svetlana Loboda may perform at the festival next year.

The 28th International Festival of Arts Slavianski Bazaar was held on 11-15 July 2019. Additional events took place on 8-10 and 16-17 July.

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