The Sussex Russian Society has been formed as an open co-operative.   That's to say, it's open to anybody who is interested to come along to any of the meetings, and perhaps to contribute.  There is no membership fee, so a small donation when you attend will cover the cost of each meeting.  Regulars include people who have visited Russia as students or tourists, some who have followed Russian language courses, some who have no language knowledge but are enthusiastic about Russian art, music, literature.  All are welcome!

E-mail contact

Meetings will usually be held on the second Monday evening of each month, starting in October 2008, and the venue will normally be in Lewes.  Before the topic for the evening, meetings start with and other light refreshments at 7.45 pm. Bring a contribution to that, if you like.

Meetings planned for this season

The next meeting is on Monday 12 April Suggestions for future topics are always welcome - use the e-mail link above.

 

2009
Monday 12 October 2009 at Southover Grange, Lewes.  7.45 pm NB: We are staying at our usual venue for the moment, as the closure of The Grange for renovations has been postponed till 2010, and meetings will continue to be on Mondays.	With illustrations, Dr Graham Whitham talks about Art of the Russian Revolution The 1917 Revolution gave avant-garde and abstract artists the opportunity to create a new art for a new society. How and why did this come about, and what caused its demise in the 1920s?
Monday 9 November 2009 at Southover Grange, Lewes.  7.45 pm	Child Aid Elizabeth Kennedy has been working with a charity setting out to transform the lives of vulnerable and disadvantaged children in Russia, Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus.
Monday 14 December 2009 at Southover Grange, Lewes.  7.45 pm	Life in Russia during the Gorbachev years Robert Chase talks about the time when he was commercial attaché at the British Embassy in Moscow. Mikhail Gorbachev General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union 1985 – 1991 Last President of the USSR March 1990 – December 1991
2010
Monday 11 January 2010 at Southover Grange, Lewes.  7.45 pm	- celebrating Russian Christmas with a Vecherinka party This meeting was cancelled because of the snow situation.
Monday 8 February 2010 at Southover Grange, Lewes.  7.45 pm The Maly Theatre	James Wright talks about Russian drama 1781-1902 The literal translation is Small Theatre, used in contrast to the nearby Bolshoi theatre. This drama theatre has been operating on its present site since 1824, but traces its history back further - to the Moscow University drama company established in 1756. During the 19th century it was said to be "universally recognised as the leading dramatic theatre of the entire century".
Monday 8 March 2010 at Southover Grange, Lewes.  7.45 pm	Reminiscences of Moscow in 1989-90 Ann Atterbury-Thomas talks about her time there.
Monday 12 April 2010 at Southover Grange, Lewes.  7.45 pm	Russian universities over six years Peter Calladine
Monday 10 May 2010 at Southover Grange, Lewes.  7.45 pm	Check later This grid shows the planned pattern of meetings. Topics in the pipeline will be listed as soon as they are agreed.
Monday 14 June 2010 venue to be confirmed.  7.45 pm	Check later

check out recent news in...	and sometimes in ..		and see what's on...
Belarus Russia Ukraine	Estonia Latvia Kaliningrad Moldova		Music, film, shows from Russia
Students and schools -- click the image to the right for useful internet resources for historical background, particularly an Encyclopaedia of Russia: 1860-1945			Russian government website a new way to get Russian TV channels through broadband internet
The Russian Society at the University of Sussex links to a wide variety of resources and contacts			Events in London at the Russian Cultural Centre Russian restaurant and tea-room in London