There are 63 cultural establishments in the region, the regional Cultural Centre, the regional Centre of Arts and Crafts, 31 libraries, a museum named after I.D. Chersky, three children’s musical schools and a children’s art school.
The number of folk and “exemplary” bands testifies to the mastery of local residents. There are 16 such bands in the region. These amateur talent groups take an active part in the international, republican, oblast and regional contests and festivals.
A children’s poetry contest and a festival of fashion theatres “Siyaniye” are held within the framework of the traditional festival “Dvina-Dzvina-Daugava”. This year the festival was attended by guests from Kazakhstan, Russia and Estonia. The folk fashion theatre “Obraz” of the Verkhnedvinsk-based art school took the first place at the international contest “MAX-MODA-2007”, which was held in Tallinn, two first places and the third place at the international festival “Costume Heartbeats-2007” in Riga.
A chorographical company “Magic” of the regional Cultural Centre took the second place at Belarus’ Modern Dance Cup.
Several pupils and teachers of the artistic department of the regional Cultural Centre took part in the international art forum in Desnogorsk within the framework of the cultural cooperation agreement between the town of Desnogorsk (the Smolensk oblast of Russia) and the Verkhnedvinsk region. Participants of the forum praised their craftsmanship.
The cultural establishments attach great importance to the preservation and revival of crafts and arts, popularisation and development of handicrafts. The regional Centre of Arts and Crafts makes a considerable contribution to this process. It houses a club of craftsmen and amateur artists uniting 38 masters.
The work on creating a regional Museum of Local Lore, History and Economy in Verkhnedvinsk is underway.
