The Perm International Snow and Ice Sculpture Festival has been held since 1995 to develop international friendship, mutual understanding, to establish artistic and aesthetic space through the art of snow and ice sculpture, and to position the city of Perm as part of the global art community and a place for international projects.

The project began with the Russian-American Snow Sculpture Festival in 1995. In 1996 the festival hosted teams from the USA, Mexico, Switzerland, and Germany. An Ice Sculpture Competition was held for the first time at the third festival in 1997.

The tenth festival hosted participants from nine countries and twenty-six regions of Russia. There was a team at the festival from the southern English town of Brighton who had never seen so much snow in their life. But professionalism and the desire to conquer a three-meter cube of snow led the way to victory. The team from Great Britain took the first prize for their Feather snow sculpture, and the jury's decision completely coincided with the opinion of other participants and the public.

Foreign participants always notice a special atmosphere at the festival: only in Perm can sculptors from different countries and cities share skills, advice, and tools with other teams and make real friends. Every year Perm citizens enjoy watching the process of creating pieces of art from ice and snow which decorate Gorky Park till March.

The festival has become a visiting card of Perm. It contributes much to the image of Perm as a city of original culture open to everything new and interesting.

You and your team are kindly invited to take part in the Festival and join other sculptors and artists both from Russia and foreign countries.
Dates:
February 05: arrivals
February 06: opening day, sculpting
February 09: completion of work;
February 10: closing day (announcement and awarding of winners, festivities)
February 11: departure

Contests:
The Festival will comprise two contests - ice sculpting contest and snow carving competition.
Ice carvers will be provided with 15 ice blocks (size – 1m x 0,5 m x 0,3 m). Snow carvers will get one snow block for all snow teams (height – 2,5m, length - 45m, width – 1,5m). Each team will get a part of the block to create their own framed bas-relief (height – 2,5m, width - 3m, depth – 0,5m). These bas-reliefs will make up a wall of a snow labyrinth in construction of which you can also take part. It is prohibited to use colorants and other materials except snow (ice) and water.
A team (in each category) should consist of not more than 3 sculptors.

Instruments:
Any type of tools is permitted for use. In snow carving competition the use of electrically powered devices is prohibited. All the instruments necessary for sculpting should be brought by the participants (except shovels and ladders).

Evaluation:
The thematic (humourous) and skillfully made ice sculptures and snow bas-reliefs will be evaluated by the jury; prize-winners will get cash prizes.
Expenses covered by the Organizing Committee: a) Moscow-Perm-Moscow travel (by train), b) double and three-bed rooms at 2-star hotel, c) meals, d) cultural programme, e) local transportation, f) interpreters (students-volunteers). Participants should have their own medical insurance.

Visas to Russia: All foreign participants must obtain visas to Russia. We attach all the necessary information for issuing Letters of Invitations that are absolutely necessary for getting visas to Russia. On receiving your personal data International officers will fill out specific questionnaires and submit them to the Passport and Visa Service of Perm Region. The Letters of Invitations will be ready in 30 days (from the date of submission) and will be faxed to you. Only with these official Letters you will be able to apply for a visa to Russia to the Consulate of Russia in your country. Please, contact the Russian Consulate in your country to find out how much time is needed to obtain visas and check out whether the Consulate accepts faxed copies or whether only original Letters are required. (Requirements vary depending on the country).

Contact information:
If you are willing to participate in the Festival, please, mail your applications, personal data, and a sketch (photo, drawing etc) of your future sculpture at: inter@perm.permregion.ru
or fax them at (342) 212 51 94
Tel.: (342) 212 44 01; (342) 212 44 86

Deadline for applications is December 15th, 2006..
Looking forward to seeing you in Perm!
Organizing Committee