Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and First Lady Olena Zelenska participated in the award ceremony for the Taras Shevchenko National Prize of Ukraine 2026, UNN reports with reference to the Office of the President.
This year, the Shevchenko Prize expanded, and the number of nominations increased to 13 for the first time in its history. "Creative Curatorship of Cultural and Artistic Projects," "Photography," and "Design" were added, "Prose" and "Poetry" appeared instead of the "Literature" nomination, and the musical direction was expanded by the "Concert and Performance Art" nomination. The President of Ukraine signed the corresponding decree in July 2025, and today the first laureates received awards in these nominations.
"We have something to be proud of. We have someone to be proud of. And the Shevchenko Prize proves it. Every year it takes place despite everything, despite the war. And despite everything, every year there are new worthy winners. And this award has not become a formality, and it is growing in every sense of the word - there are more nominations, more significant works, more reasons to be proud of our art, to be proud of our creators," emphasized Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The Head of State noted that this year's Shevchenko Prize is special not only because we are celebrating its anniversary - 65 years - but also because its presentation takes place at a time of very strong emotions that unite all of Ukraine.
"How difficult and long this winter was. And we overcame it. How much we all longed for this spring. And finally, warmth, and these feelings, when Ukraine could, Ukraine survived, Ukraine stood firm. I want to thank our soldiers, thank you," said Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
According to the President, spring is also coming to Ukrainian culture and art, which are interesting to millions, stylish, modern, fashionable, lively, and dynamic.
"And when today Ukrainian music unites all our people - at the front, throughout the country, when it is impossible to get tickets to our Ukrainian theaters and there are queues at museums, at our exhibitions, for our Ukrainian books, all this is very inspiring," emphasized the Head of State.
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Yevhen Nyshchuk, Head of the Committee for the T. Shevchenko National Prize of Ukraine, noted that art is now becoming an important means of psychological support, helping society to experience the war. That is why the expansion of nominations meets the challenges of today.
"This is indeed very important. Because those new directions that have appeared, in addition to the established ones in canonical perception, are extremely relevant precisely in wartime," said Yevhen Nyshchuk.
For the first time, the T. Shevchenko National Prize in the "Photography" nomination was awarded to photographer Olena Hrom for the photo project "Stolen Spring."
In another new nomination - "Creative Curatorship of Cultural and Artistic Projects" - the award for the exhibition project "Alla Horska. Boryviter" was received by the curators of this exhibition Tetiana Hauk, Olena Hrozovska, Mykhailo Kulivnyk, Kateryna Lisova, and the exhibition designer Daria Podoltseva. Another winner in this nomination for the cultural and artistic project "30x30. Contemporary Ukrainian Art" was its curator, art critic Valeriy Sakharuk.
Conductor, artistic director of the P. Maiboroda Academic Choir of Ukrainian Radio Yulia Tkach received the country's highest creative award in the "Concert and Performance Art" nomination for the media project "One Step to Victory," artistic cycles "Figures," "Meeting of Eras," concert programs, and archival recordings from 2020–2025.
Diplomat, writer, and scholar Yuriy Shcherbak became a laureate of the Shevchenko Prize in the "Prose" nomination for the book of summaries and prophecies "Dead Memory. Voices and Cries," and writer Pavlo Beliansky for the novel "Fight, Don't Retreat."
The award in the "Publicism and Journalism" nomination was received by writer and journalist Oleh Kryshtopa for the documentary novel "Radio 'Aphrodite'."
In the "Literary Criticism and Art" nomination, art critic Olesya Avramenko received the award for art history popular science works from the author's series Accent – three books: "Bilokur," "Prykhodko," "Tistol." Also in the "Literary Criticism and Art" nomination, film critic, film scholar, and screenwriter Serhiy Trymbach won the award for the book "Ivan Mykolaichuk. Mysteries of Fate."
The winner in the "Theater Art" nomination for the performances "Vertep," "Mons Giraffe" of the Kharkiv State Academic Puppet Theater named after V. A. Afanasiev, "The Tempest" of the Maria Zankovetska National Academic Ukrainian Drama Theater, "Medea" of the Ivan Franko Ivano-Frankivsk National Academic Theater was director Oksana Dmitrieva.
The National Prize in the "Cinema Art" nomination was received by the scriptwriter and director of the film "You Are Space" Pavlo Ostrykov.
The laureate of the award in the "Decorative and Applied Arts" nomination for a series of artistic works of Ukrainian glass from the art project "Born in Fire" was the master of artistic glass Ihor Matsiyevsky.
In the "Visual Arts" nomination, sculptor Nazar Bilyk received the award for creating the "Memorial to Ukrainian Intelligence Officers," a series of sculptures "Disturbed Space," "Alloy."
The laureates of the 2026 Shevchenko Prize have been announced09.03.26, 20:11 • [views_3146]