Background

The idea to launch a corporate festival was put forward by Gazprom's employees and supported by its management. In 2003 the Gazprom Management Committee endorsed the Resolution on Arranging the Fakel Festival among Amateur Creative Teams and Performers from Gazprom's Subsidiary Companies and Organizations.

The three-round Festival is conducted on a biennial basis. In the first round the best performers from Gazprom's subsidiaries are selected for the zonal festivals. The zonal festivals (southern and northern zones) represent the second round. The zonal festival winners take part in the final third round.

The zonal rounds of the 5th corporate Festival took place in Astrakhan (November 2012) and Tomsk (February 2013). Over 1,300 children and adults from 36 Gazprom's subsidiaries took part in the 5th corporate Fakel Festival. They competed in the following nominations: folklore, vocal (folk, pop, classic and jazz), choreography (folk, pop, ballroom, classic), pop and instrumental groups, pop & circus and magic, etc. The Young Painter contest was held as well as part of the Festival.

Reputed Russian and Belarusian arts and culture workers judged the participants' performances at the Festival. The jury was chaired by Svyatoslav Belza, People's Artist of Russia, Academician of the Russian Television Academy.