"They're cutting our staff exclusively." A youth theater in the Tomsk region is closing.
Youth Theatre "Our World" in Tomsk Seversk reported the threat of closure. According to the artists, the administration intends to fire the entire 12-person team due to a lack of funding. They stated this told in a video message published on VKontakte.
This is already the fifth attempt to close the theater. In 2012, the theater was stripped of its legal status and transferred to the House of Culture named after N. Ostrovsky.
In May 2026, the theater appealed to Vladimir Putin and the Ministry of Culture, reporting the loss of its funding and other violations. The company was asked to stage performances at its own expense, and some of the previously won grants were used for the needs of the House of Culture rather than for new productions.
The theatre's director resigned due to financial pressure. Anton Hongo, who staged nine plays, and several actors. Seversk officials met with the actors and promised to look into the situation. "And five months later, we learn that they're laying off everyone, and that it's our team. We demand justice!" the actors declared.
The artists' appeal was supported by local residents. In the comments, residents of Seversk wrote that the city should not be left without a theater.
"The unique 'Our World' theater—who is it bothering? City leaders, what are you doing?" "When the state doesn't want to invest in education and culture, it will build prisons." "This theater finds and nurtures talented young people, opening the door for them to enter the creative arts. Theater must live."
— Severchan residents write under the video message.
The Department of Culture also responded to the situation. Tomsk regionThey reported that they are working with the Seversk administration to develop the institution's future operations, taking into account changes in budget funding.
The theater's closure comes amid Vladimir Putin's announcement of expanded support for closed cities. entrusted By December 15, consider the possibility of including closed administrative-territorial entities (ZATOs) and military towns in the "Creating a Comfortable Urban Environment" program. The initiative aims to expand opportunities for improving courtyards, parks, playgrounds, and sports fields in closed cities. There are 38 closed administrative-territorial entities (ZATOs) in Russia, including Seversk.