By decision of the Supervisory Board of the National Award for Cultural Sector Managers, the application deadline for the award has been extended. Additional adjustments have been made to the application form, new evaluation criteria have been introduced, and opportunities for applicants have been expanded.
“The National Award for managers in our field was established to support industry leaders and recognize their contribution to the development of the country’s culture. This is the first initiative by the Ministry of Culture of Russia to specially honor managers, which is why we pay close attention to every detail—from the application form completed by candidates to the criteria that allow for a serious and objective assessment of each applicant. Based on the results of the first wave of applications, the Supervisory Board decided to make adjustments to the application procedure and the structure of nominations. We are confident that the second wave will allow applicants to present their projects and achievements more fully, and experts to evaluate them more thoroughly,” said Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation Olga Lyubimova.
The new application campaign will run from December 22, 2025, to January 20, 2026 (inclusive). Applications can be submitted on the official award website: kultpremia.ru.
According to the updated rules, eligible applicants include members of senior management of relevant government bodies, cultural and educational institutions, artistic directors of creative groups and associations, as well as organizers, program directors, directors, and producers of cultural projects.
There are three main nominations: “Federal-Level Managers,” “Regional-Level Managers,” and “Municipal-Level Managers,” as well as five special nominations: “Our Culture,” “Creative Team of the Country,” “Youth in Culture,” “Guardian of Cultural Values,” and a special nomination dedicated to the theme of the year (in 2026, it is planned to be tied to the Year of National Unity).
Applications in the main nominations are evaluated by the Award’s Expert Council, which includes 47 members, among them: Olga Galaktionova, Director of the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts; Vadim Duda, Director General of the National Library of Russia; composer and producer, People’s Artist of the Russian Federation Igor Matvienko; Alexander Shkolnik, Director General of the Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945; and others. The Chair of the Expert Council is Sergey Pershin, Deputy Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation. The Secretary is Roman Karmanov, Director General of the Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives.
The award ceremony for the National Award for Cultural Sector Managers will take place on March 25, 2026, and will be timed to coincide with the professional holiday — Cultural Worker’s Day.
More information about the award is available on the official website.
The National Award for Cultural Sector Managers was established by the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation in July 2025 to recognize and support cultural managers who demonstrate effectiveness and develop significant projects. The first wave of applications concluded in October 2025.
Source: https://mincult.tatarstan.ru
