The Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education “Arctic State Institute of Culture and Arts” was established on January 17, 2000 by the decree of Mikhail Efimovich Nikolaev, the first President of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).
Creating sociocultural environment, improvement of quality of life of indigenous peoples, preservation of authentic culture and traditions related to the national agenda – strengthening of Russia’s potency in the Arctic, take a leading position in the development of life management on permafrost.
Establishment of the Institute was based on creative and human capacity of the branches of the Moscow Art Theater School, the Ural State Conservatory named after Musorgsky, the Krasnoyarsk State Arts Institute and the Eastern-Siberian State Academy of Culture and Arts in Yakutsk.
Andrey Savvich Borisov, merited artist of the Russian Federation, laureate of the State Prize of the USSR and the Russian Federation, is the rector who organized establishment of the Institute. Sargylana Semenovna Ignateva, candidate of pedagogical sciences, professor, honored employee in culture of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), honorary worker of the higher professional education of the Russian Federation, corresponding member of the Academy of Natural Science, is the Rector of the Institute since 2008 to nowadays.
Professors of the leading universities, prominent figures of art and culture made an invaluable contribution to the establishment of the Institute: vocalists N.N. Golyshev and S.V. Zalizniak, musicians S.S. Amirov (the Ural Conservatory), masters of performing art E.V. Radomyslensky and V.N. Komratov (the Moscow Art Theatre School), painters A.A. Pokrovsky and V.N. Bychinsky (the Krasnoyarsk Arts Institute), musicologist M.M. Berlyanchik (the Magnitogorsk Conservatory), R.I. Pshenichnikova, rector of the Eastern-Siberian State Academy of Arts and Culture, professors T.B. Badagaeva, N.B. Dashieva, E.B. Batueva, V.C. Namdakova, directors of the branches in Yakutsk: A.P. Munkhalov, Y.N. Kozlovsky, S.S. Ignateva, V.G. Nikulin.
Over the years, ASICA, as the only creative university in Russia, whose activities are aimed at reviving, preserving and continuing the disappearing cultural heritage of the peoples inhabiting the North of Russia and the Arctic region as a whole, has been fulfilling the national task of implementing socially significant image projects aimed at preserving and promoting the cultural heritage of the peoples of the Russian Arctic and the North. Including socially significant government projects of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) “Music for everyone”, “Everyone is painting”, development of scientific and educational museum complex “Cultural heritage of the peoples of the Arctic”; Arctic Youth Forum “IITII”: “Intellectual, innovative, creative ideas and initiatives”; organization of the International Art Exposition “Arctic Art-2016”; organization of the International summer school for gifted children at ASICA; organization of the All-Russian festival-contest of musicians of folk instruments “Arctic Stars”; the collective exhibition of yakutian artists in Europe and Russia «Nomadic scrolls of Siberia», the project «International Arctic Triennale «Arctic Chronotopos - 2018» etc.
In 2014 Egor Afanasyevich Borisov, the Head of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), initiated establishment of the Arctic Center of Culture and Arts. The Center became a platform that bring together arctic researchers and the art community. “The Arctic Culture and Arts” scientific magazine has been published.
The museum "Musical Culture of the Peoples of North Asia" was established at the Institute with the support of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia. The foundation is based on the unique collection of musical instruments of the peoples of the north of Siberia and the Far East by Professor Yuri Sheikin, Doctor of Art History, collected during the long-term expeditions of the teacher and his students.
International relations of the Arctic State Institute of Culture and Arts were established in 2002 starting from collaboration with the University of Arctic; in 2003 ASICA became a member of the Consortium and took part in “north2north” academic exchange program. Becoming a part of the academic and research community of the University of Arctic boosted international connections of the Institute: participation in exchange programs for faculty members and students, thematic networks of the University of Arctic, joint workshops, conferences, festivals. The Institute cooperated closely with partner universities in Netherlands, Iceland, France, Mongolia and China through creative and research projects.
Graduates of the Institute successfully work at the Sakha Academic Theater named after P.A. Oyunsky, the Russian Drama Theater named after A.S. Pushkin, the Opera and Ballet Theater named after D.K. Sivcev-Suorun Omolloon, the National Dance Theater named after S.A. Zverev-Kyyl Uola, the Nyurba State Drama Theater, the Neryungri Puppet and Drama Theater, the Mirny Drama Theater, the Tuva Music and Drama Theater named after Victor Kok-oola, the Khakas Drama Theater named after A.M. Topanova, the Altai National Drama Theater named after P.V. Kuchiak, at municipal and state organizations of culture of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Kamchatka, Taymyr Dolgan-Nenets district of Krasnoyarsk region, Chukotka.
Roman Dorofeev, Valentin Makarov, Igor Govorov, Stepan Poriadin, Gavril Menkyarov, Vyacheslav Lavernov, Ilya Portnyagin, Prokopii Danilov, Aitalina Lavernova, Aleksandr Borisov, Maksim Edukin etc. - actors- graduates of the Institute of all years became a reason for explosion of yakut cinema.
The Institute is proud of the graduates of Music department- stars of opera Anastasia Mukhina, Aleksandr Emelyanov, Zinaida Kolodeznikova, Ekaterina Koryakina; yakut premier dancers – Saryal Afanasjev, Anastasia Taishina, stage director of the Sakha Drama Theatre Ruslan Tarakhovskii.
Our graduates perform at theater productions-nominees of the National theater award “Golden mask”.
Number of librarians, specialists in the field of cultural and leisure programs, recreation and tourism, cultural policy, and producers throughout the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) are replenished by graduates of departments of library and information activities and humanities, socio-cultural activities, and cultural management.
In municipalities and regions of Russia, the development of the socio-cultural environment is also closely linked to the work of ASICA graduates. Many of them have already become successful heads of cultural and educational departments, and school principals.
The opening of a new 500-seat student dormitory for ASICA and NEFU students on December 29, 2018, became a great achievement- 250 seats are for ASICA students: 2 mirrored dance rehearsal halls and double and triple sectional rooms, equipped with new furniture. One of the most important tasks of the Institute is to create comfortable conditions for our students, a favorable environment for education and fruitful work.
The Institute's educational resources aim to cover creative, educational and scientific activities to educate students and teach them the basics of the traditional culture of the peoples inhabiting the permafrost zone, prepare future specialists for the harsh living conditions in the North, and present the cultural heritage of the Arctic peoples as a model of an open, modern Arctic territory that has created its own unique northern style, enriching the world treasury of culture.
The Arctic State Institute of Culture and Arts is the only creative institute in the Russian Federation, whose activities are aimed at the revival, preservation and continuity of the cultural heritage of the peoples inhabiting the North and the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation.
