Sharemagic in Ukraine: Bringing Magic to Kyiv

Sharemagic (the charitable arm of Vanishing Inc.) was proud to send a delegation of magicians to perform magic in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Since the start of the war, live performance has all but dried up in war-torn Ukraine. Manyoreign entertainers are discouraged from entering the country because of the near-daily airstrikes on the capital, Kyiv. Some Ukrainian magicians don’t dare perform publicly for fear of being conscripted to the front lines. Most occasions for magic simply don’t exist in a time of war.

At Sharemagic we recognized the enormous mental health benefits of magic. It’s a form of escape and a necessary relief from the stresses of living in a conflict zone. Ukrainian Children, in particular, are deprived of most of the essential diversions that all kids have a right to enjoy. We believe magic is medicine.

With this in mind, Sharemagic sent an expert conflict-zone magician, Flip, into Ukraine so he could spread his magic to the audiences who need it most. Flip performed across a wide swath of great causes. Joshua Jay, George Luck, and Jeff Kowalk accompanied Flip to these performances, and they, too, offered their original brand of magic for Ukrainian audiences. The group endured air raids, bomb shelters, and two days of nonstop travel to get to the Ukrainian capital. Then the real work began:

They performed at a center called Dachu that houses displaced families who are receiving cancer treatment.

They performed a large show for displaced children from Eastern Ukraine, titled "Save Ukraine".

They performed at the 2402 Foundation, which helps ensure a free, safe press in Ukraine and trains Ukrainian journalists for frontline defense.

They performed at Principal Medical Center, a hospital for wounded soldiers.

They performed for the Ukrainian magic community at the Circus Academy of Kyiv.

They performed at Ukrainian Danish Youth House, a community center for disabled children affected by the war.