The United States is celebrating its 250th birthday, and on Monday, July 6, 2026, the United States will be honoured with Studio Mao’s participation in a special cultural program and exhibition at The Millennium Gate Museum in Atlanta, Georgia. 

Classical music enthusiasts will enjoy an evening concert with internationally renowned violinist Mikhail Simonyan and American pianist Clinton Smith. Works by Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky and Brahms will be part of the program, in a venue that is committed to history, civic memory and cultural exchange, uniting American and Russian artistic traditions. 

President of the United States Commission of Fine Arts and Founder of the National Monuments Foundation, Rodney Cook Jr., will be joined at the event by distinguished representatives from the arts, public service, diplomacy and civic life, including international cultural producer, Natalia Domoratskaya, Founder of Alba Music Group and Stephen Mao, President of Studio Mao.

The first secretary of the Russian Embassy’s cultural attaché, Nina Abramian, will be present at the program, which will be attended by the Russian Federation’s Ambassador to the United States, Alexander N. Darchiev. Ambassador Darchiev has also expressed his willingness to send Mr Cook to Washington, D.C. for further engagement in the cultural and art baseline.

Mr Cook’s recent visit to the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, in which cultural exchanges were highlighted as a key route for productive relations between the United States and the Russian Federation, is a reason for celebration for the Atlanta program. The July 6 event is carrying on that effort in the areas of music, art, history, and public diplomacy.

“We are pleased to participate in this significant cultural occasion at The Millennium Gate Museum,” continued Studio Mao President, Stephen Mao. Culture can cross borders in ways that politics can’t, helping to maintain mutual respect, humanitarian connection, and open communication, “at times when official dialogue between countries is difficult.”

Mikhail Simonyan has appeared in prestigious halls of the United States and Russia, such as the Kennedy Centre in Washington, DC, the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg and Lincoln Centre in New York. His involvement in the Atlanta program is part of an ongoing artistic exchange between the two Countries, and exemplifies the idea that an artist can be a bridge between people, irrespective of nationality.

The event is part of Studio Mao’s ongoing efforts in cultural diplomacy, film, music and artistic exchange in the international arena. The company has continued to back cultural projects that bring American and Russian artists, institutions and audiences together, such as classical music projects, feature- and documentary-length film projects and diplomatic cultural exchanges. Studio Mao has also produced a series of short films, including the Academy Award-winning film SKIN, and continues to see film and culture as a tool of dialogue.

The July 6 program will be held at The Millennium Gate Museum, the mission of which is to preserve and interpret the history, art, culture and philanthropic heritage of Georgia and make it an important contribution to Georgia’s historical and artistic legacy to the United States and the world. The USA 250 exhibition will feature pieces from the Georgia history permanent collection, some of the Andrew Young exhibition and special pieces by Frederick Hart and Sabin Howard.

About Studio Mao

Studio Mao is an Academy Award-winning producer, Stephen Mao’s film production and cultural strategy firm in New York. The company creates and releases feature films, documentary films, and cultural projects in various countries with a special emphasis on telling stories and fostering dialogue, understanding and cooperation between different countries and cultures.

About National Monumenta Foundation

The National Monuments Foundation is responsible for establishing self-reliant monuments of national and historic significance, emphasising peace education, civic involvement and cultural heritage. It is responsible for the design of the Millennium Gate Museum in Atlanta, the World Athletes Monument at Pershing Point, Rodney Cook Sr. Peace Park in Vine City, and the Newington Cropsey Museum in New York.