The winter Olympic Games are in full swing, with Milano Cortina 2026 offering a variety of experiences beyond high-stakes sports competitions. The official Games calendar spans February 6-22, 2026, with many cultural events accompanying sports programming to encourage a wider conversation about dignity, memory, and eternal human values. One of the events worth visiting is “Athletes of Art,” an exhibition co-curated by the Ukrainian artist Iryna Fedorenko, known as SEMIRA.
Cultural Programming of Milano Cortina 2026
Milano Cortina 2026 offers an extensive cultural program beyond sports. The “Olimpiade Culturale” concept represents an ecosystem of projects that crosses art, education, and civic engagement. The program’s core message is to return the visitors and viewers of Olympic competitions to their foundation – a commitment to sporting, not military opposition. Within this framework, Milano Cortina 2026 hosts a variety of exhibitions, theatrical performances, and urban installations that unite art, heritage, and international sports.
“Athletes of Art” and Beyond: The Creative Dimension of the Olympics
“Athletes of Art” bridges sports and art in a creative way, reflecting the views of Iryna Fedorenko and other artists on the unifying power of sports. Fedorenko’s selected art pieces featured at the exhibition include portraits of the renowned Olympic champions and two symbolic inscriptions: “Peremoha” and “Vittoria.” As an artist who fled Russian military aggression, urged to leave her hometown, Mariupol, Iryna Fedorenko is deeply engaged with the topics of peace and victory in the present-day Ukrainian war drama.
The exhibition is structured as a living route, with artworks distributed across multiple locations in Milan and Lombardy. Apart from the presented art objects, the project includes conferences, workshops, and public meetings.
Another creative project presented by SEMIRA during Milano Cortina 2026 was “OCCHI DELL’UMANITA,” a documentary film that offers a peaceful, educational agenda. The film was produced by an international educational team united by one powerful idea: transforming the expressive power of youth into an impactful, contemporary visual language. The project was supported by Ukrainian educational institutions, the V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, and Liceo Artistico di Brera. Ukrainian students participating in the project were also supported by Fondazione Terre des Hommes Italia, which covered their travel expenses and provided housing.
Art Projects by Iryna Fedorenko
Iryna Fedorenko’s Ukrainian roots and former residency in the war-torn Mariupol have left a trace in her present-day creative portfolio. An author of the “Children of War” series, Fedorenko is actively engaged in social and civic programming, drawing attention to the war in Ukraine. She is also an organizer and curator of the international art festival TRACE, nurturing the rising talent and supporting Ukrainian creatives.