Lena Volkova is an award-winning costume designer, model, and actor from the DMV. Lena mostly spends her time as a costume arts educator and designer in the theatrical world. Most recently, her credits include Urinetown (Workhouse Arts Center), Julius Caesar (Avant Bard), and Every Brilliant Thing (Workhouse Arts Center). In addition to her work as a costume designer, she is also a scare actor and creative designer for the annual Workhouse Arts Haunted Trail. Lena also serves on the board of directors for DC Cosplay Photo Shoots, a photography and costume arts education nonprofit that serves the Greater Washington Metropolitan Area.
Lena has been a staple in the DMV’s cosplay community since 2016. She became a media personality in the costume arts world in 2018 with the launch of her podcast, The Cosplay Cast. Previously, she was well-known within the South Texas cosplay and horror communities where she served as a celebrity judge for the Facial Hair League and community-driven philanthropic events.
These days, Lena primarily focuses on arts education and is dedicated to empowering the cosplay community with educational opportunities, resources, and information. Lena’s primary goal is not only to help make costuming a mainstream hobby but also to educate people on the merits of costume-based work and to accept costuming as a valid art form. In 2023, she curated an Art Exhibition at the Workhouse Arts Center, featuring selected works from DC Cosplay Photo Shoots’ members. The week-long gallery installation was the first of its kind and was the highlight of February 2023’s Second Saturday Art Walk. In 2024, she curated “Tulpa” featuring more works from DC Cosplay Photo Shoots members and was also a featured artist. Lena and her mission and experiences as a costumer have previously been featured in CanvasRebel, Voyage Baltimore, and Metro Weekly magazines.
