Since 2011, Izba Arts (formerly RA+C) has evolved into the UK’s most comprehensive cultural platform and consultancy dedicated to the arts and heritage of the former Eastern Bloc. We champion the inclusion of Central and Eastern European (CEE) and Central Asian creatives and audiences within the UK and the wider global West.
Under the patronage of art collector Natasha Butterwick, Izba Arts is driven by a dynamic, women-led team of industry experts:
• Ksenia Kazintseva: Artist and producer with over 10 years of experience researching cross-cultural mythologies, imagery, and textile histories. She connects diasporic communities from the former Eastern Bloc, Central Asia, South America, Nigeria, and the UK, offering spaces for community connection that transcend spoken language through shared visual traditions.
• Ella Gancarz: Documentary filmmaker, producer, and host of the From the Bloc podcast.
• Alexandra Baker: Artist and community producer.
Beyond our digital platform—which features global cultural listings, exclusive interviews, and in-depth market reports—Izba Arts is a leading cultural producer.
In Spring 2026, we launched the inaugural Maslenitsa Festival, aligning with the equinox to celebrate CEE and Central Asian traditions of nature and spring. Part-funded by Wandsworth Council (London Borough of Culture) and partnered with Battersea Arts Centre and Ram Quarter, the festival brought together diverse diasporic communities across London. This landmark event welcomed 100 participating artists and was attended by over 700 people in its first iteration.
Izba Arts is also the founder of Eastern European Art Week in London—an exclusive network uniting leading auctions at Sotheby’s, Christie’s, MacDougall’s, Bonhams, Roseberys, and Sworders with coinciding cultural events. We publish the bi-annual Official Eastern European Art Week Guide, distributed across prestigious locations including the Courtauld Institute, the Saatchi Gallery, The Dorchester, Claridge’s, and The Ritz.
Our work and research have been regularly featured in major publications, including The Times, Daily Telegraph, Financial Times, The Art Newspaper, Huffington Post, Blouin ArtInfo, BBC, and RIA Novosti.
