JmDasha, a DJ currently residing in Ivano-Frankivsk, spent the last two years living in Mariupol, Donetsk region. She is a resident of Shum.rave, Platform Tu, and Freeture. Until February 24th, she organized and managed DJ courses at Platform Тю in Mariupol. Alongside the Shum rave team, she extensively traveled and performed throughout Ukraine.

In 2019, she actively embraced her role as a public activist, joining the Shum.rave public organization in Slovyansk. As a permanent resident and volunteer, fulfilling duties as a DJ and musician, she contributed to the music scene’s development in Donbas, participating in performances across Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, Druzhkivka and Bakhmut. Presenting musicians from the east of Ukraine at festivals like Plan B and The Most Fest (Kostyantynivka), she showcased her commitment to regional talent.

Relocating to Mariupol in 2020, she engaged with the Platform of TU initiatives, creating the OSC art cluster, where she taught workshops and DJing courses for teenagers. Concurrently, she continued performing at music festivals and parties across Ukraine. In May 2022, alongside the TY Platform, she traveled to Berlin, participating in film screenings, and discussions, and delivered a musical performance to raise awareness about the war in Ukraine. Subsequently, she was interviewed by the music magazine Mixmag, discussing the current state of the music industry in Ukraine.

Story of experience of risk, relocation and/or exile

Artist’s account: In February 2022 in the city of Mariupol, it was very difficult and scary. We had to hide in basements and move several times to new areas of ​​the city, escaping shelling and attacks. We were finally able to leave Mariupol only on 17 March to other occupied territories in the region. Since then, I have been living in Ivano-Frankivsk and I am glad that thanks to programmes such as the Artists at Risk residency, I can continue to be creative and make music.

Projects created during the residency period

During the residency, JmDasha implemented a project on learning to work on vinyl. The goal of the project was to improve the level of her skill and gain new ones. She engaged in the constant practice and learning of theory, which culminated in a performance at which  she mixed records. Watch a video of the performance here.

This programme is organized by Perpetuum Mobile (PM) as part of the Artists at Risk (AR)-Network in partnership with UNESCO and with the support of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts and Teiger Foundation.