Natalia Mazharova

Natalia Mazharova (Odesa) is a public and cultural figure, and the Chair of the Board of the NGO “Vyshyvankovyi festival.”
In 2009, she founded the Vyshyvankovyi festival as a response from the youth to the lack of Independence Day celebrations in Odesa.
Since then, “Vyshfest” has become an annual event for Odesa – a space where the city learned to express, embrace, and take pride in its Ukrainian identity. What began simply as an Independence Day event that Odesa citizens felt was missing has transformed into a large-scale tradition that has united thousands of people and formed an active community.
Today, the initiative is expanding: in addition to the Vyshyvankovyi festival, Natalia’s NGO organizes the “PORT” Literary festival and the “Christmas on the Coast of Freedom” community carol event.
Founded in 2025, “PORT” is a festival focused on the contemporary literary process of Southern Ukraine. Natalia serves as the festival’s Chief Operating Officer, with Andriy Khayetskyi serving as Program Director.
Since 2018, Natalia has also been an entrepreneur and the founder of “Nezalezhni” (Independent), a shop specializing in Ukrainian crafts and vyshyvankas in Odesa.