Edward Ekraout is a man of ideas — a dreamer and a doer. A renowned British-French actor, director, and artist, he is the founder of ArtShield, a charitable non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and unlocking the potential of artists from around the world, especially those facing censorship, persecution, or war.
In 2024–2025, in collaboration with ArtShield, Dom Master Klass created the Kyiv Art Sessions festival of Ukrainian high culture. Its four seasons took place in London at the legendary Old Sessions House. In 2025, the festival became a laureate of the prestigious SABRE Award and was recognized by the Ambassador of Ukraine to the United Kingdom.
Back in 2012, Edward Ekraout worked on a film about the Holocaust in Ukraine, and since then Ukraine has remained at the center of his attention. In 2023, he launched the project Echoes and Visions, dedicated to exploring the creative legacy of Ukrainian artists during the full-scale war, providing them with support, and presenting their work to the world. Together with his team and like-minded collaborators, he strives to support Ukraine on many levels and is currently working on an independent film about Ukrainian artists.
Edward Ekraout has developed a far-reaching vision — a strategy for promoting Ukrainian culture globally. He will present this strategy during The Conversation under the Ash Tree.
“The only question we can ask ourselves is this: Are we witnessing the last generation of Ukrainian art and artists, or are we witnessing the most defining artistic movement of the 21st century? And that depends on us and our actions.”~ Edward Ekraout
Edward Ekraout studied philosophy at the Sorbonne, University of Paris, and graduated from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.
He has appeared in The Hollow Crown, Borgia, Genius: Picasso, Killing Eve, and Rodin.
Edward’s solo exhibitions have been held at The Hoxton, London, and Hotel Café Royal, London. His works have been featured in group exhibitions at Metamatic: The Art Foundation, Athens; The Gallery of African Art, London; Le Carreau du Temple, Paris; and The Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin.