AMATEUR ART GROUPS
AMATEUR ART GROUPS is one of the forms of individual and collective folk art. Implies the creation and execution of art works by amateurs. Participants of the amateur art groups are either members of various art teams under the cultural and leisure institutions, educational institutions and other organizations or act independently. Melodies of kuray, folk songs (ref. Folk Music), folk dances played a big role in the life of Bashkirs. At the end of the 19th — early 20th centuries, art lovers united in artistic groups and societies under a large madrassa. Many recreation and reading rooms, clubs, campaigns against illiteracy, workers’ and peasants’ youth theatres, circles of fine arts and decorativeapplied arts were organized after the revolution of 1917. In the middle of the 1930s, there were more than 1,116 clubs of folks arts. They all functioned in libraries premises. Also, there were exhibitions and seminars for the amateur groups leaders. In 1937, the Bashkortostan Republican House of Folk Arts was established to guide the museum’s employees activities. In the years of the Great Patriotic War, there were artistic and concert crews, who performed in military units, hospitals, and enterprises. In 1945, the Department of Cultural and Educational Institutions under the Council of People’s Comissars of the BASSR was established. Between the 1950– 60s, the network of cultural and educational institutions was actively developing. These years are characterized by the amateur film studios and photo studios appearance (ref. Photo art). Festivals and competitions among amateur art groups became traditional. Since 1955, amateur art groups performed literature and art festivals. Since the end of the 1950s, the RSFSR and BASSR, etc honorary titles were awarded for the creative achievements to A.S.Buvakin, V.I.Gryaznov, A.I.Daushev, R.F.Ziganov and others. Between 1963—65, the All‑Russia Festival of Rural Amateur Art Groups took place. Many amateur art groups of Bashkortostan received high appreciation from the audience (for example, the Agidel, Lyaysan and other folk dance ensembles). Folk theatres actively developed along with vocal‑choral and dance groups. The groups that achieved great success have been awarded the title of “people’s” or “exemplary” amateur art groups.
