On the 26 of November 2015, in Bratislava, in Aircraft Gallery a unique art exhibition was opened under the framework of the International Academic Research Project «Between the Volga and the Danube», which combined together artists of Russia, Central and Eastern Europe.
The organizers of this large-scale project were leading art associations of Russia and Slovakia: Russian Academy of Arts, Volga Department of RAA, Creative Union of Artists of Russia, the European Centre of Fine Arts (Bratislava, Slovakia). The event was also supported byRussian Federation Ministry of Culture, Stroganov Moscow State University of Arts and Industry, Centre for Contemporary Art MARS & Partners in Europe - the company Diagnosis Aircraft (Aircraft Diagnostic Company), Slovak creative union of Art (Slovenska Vytvarna Unia), Slovak Union of Fine Arts (Slovak Union of Visual Art), European Foundation of Slavic Script and Culture (Európsky fond slovanskej písomnosti a kultúry).
Special greetings to the organizers and participants were directed by the Minister of Culture of Russian Federation Vladimir Medina; President of the Russian Academy of Arts,National Artist of the USSR and Russia, ZurabTsereteli; Chairman of the Board of Directors of the European Centre of Fine Arts, Honorary Academician of the Russian Academy of Arts, Professor Igor Bondarenko. 
The project was based on the ideas of Yan Amos Komensky, who was the great humanist of XVII century and whose ideas laid as the foundations of the European Enlightenment. His approaches and methods were presented in the famous encyclopedia «The world of sensible things in the pictures».Under the project format, an international competition was held (January-April 2015); an art encyclopedia «Between the Volga and the Danube» with research articles was published; traveling exhibition, master classes in painting and digital art, presentations and round tables in Moscow and Bratislava also were held in the framework of this project.
The organizers of the research project «Between the Volga and the Danube» has chosen 100-to-date topics andset the task to artists to implement the world of nature and of social relations according to that topics in their works.
According to the results of the contest were selected 200 best works of artists, which has widely presented different styles and ways of expressing their perception of the world. There were 88 artists from 12 regions of Russia and 45 artists from 10 European countries of the Danube basin: Slovakia, Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria, Poland, Ukraine and Moldova.From 19 of August till20 of September 2015 the Art exhibition «Between the Volga and the Danube» with a great success was held in Moscow in Zurab Tsereteli Art Gallery of the Russian Academy of Arts. After that it moved to Bratislava, where the gallery was presented inthe Aircraft Gallery of European Centre of Fine Arts from 26 of November 2015 till 30 of January 2016.
Opening of such a large-scale international exhibition in Bratislava, was perceived by the general public as a significant cultural event of the year. The exhibition was opened by Counsellor of the Embassy of Russian Federation Shabanov A.V., guests were also greeted by the Ambassador of Belarus Serpikov V.M. On the opening of the exhibition came large delegation from Russia, many painters (artists) were present in person. The Chairman of the Volga Branch of the Russian Academy of Arts, director and author of the project, a well-known artist K.V. Khudyakov, National Artist of Russia Yevgeny Romashko, Honored Artist of Russia Ivan Kolesnikov, a well-known Slovak artist Ladislav Cerny presented master classes on round tables during the exhibition.
At the exhibition visitors had a great opportunity to discuss with the authors their creative vision, to get autographs, to take photos for memory. The exhibition was held under the amazing atmosphere of artistic creation with live classical music that created a pleasant mood, the visitors moved through the halls of the gallery and shared their views. On the opening came participants from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, representatives of embassies, representatives of commercial and public organizations, representatives of Bratislava art schools, priests. The exhibition was widely represented in Russian and Slovak media.
The implementation of such a large-scale international academic research project «Between the Volga and the Danube» has given a rare opportunity to compare national art schools and creative approaches to get unusual dialogues, as well as a new way to highlight the role and responsibility of artist to society.Undoubtedly, the project that was based on mutual respect for the historical and cultural heritage of the participants countries, contributed to the further strengthening of cultural ties and the development of dialogue between cultures, principles of tolerance and mutual understanding between the peoples of our countries.
