The winners of the Shevchenko Prize have been announced: list
9 March 22:12
The Shevchenko Prize 2026 award ceremony took place in Kyiv with the participation of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Among the winners were Pavlo Ostrikov, director of the film “You Are the Cosmos,” Oleg Kryshchopa, author of the documentary novel “Radio Aphrodite,” and the team that created the exhibition project “Alla Horska. Boriviter.” This was reported by "Komersant Ukrainian" with reference to Ukrinform.
“This year’s Shevchenko Prize is special because it marks the 65th anniversary of its founding. This prize is special for its atmosphere, spirit, and everything that is in the air right now. Everything that surrounds us these days. These are very real, strong emotions that unite our entire country,” Zelensky emphasized in his opening remarks.
He also expressed his gratitude to all artists and creators, to all those who “find within themselves the strength and inspiration for apt words and inspiring melodies, who create Ukrainian art, give birth to new things, and preserve the heritage of our past, speaking in the language of art about what is so close to everyone today.”
Most importantly, according to the Head of State, artists speak of hope, which today permeates every work, every song, every book, every exhibition.
“The fact that we did not give up this hope and won this spring is a joint achievement of everyone, our military, our people who work for the state, everyone who preserves the Ukrainian language in themselves and their children,” the president emphasized.
During the ceremony, the winners of the 2026 Shevchenko Prize were announced:
Prose
- Pavlo Belyansky. Novel “You Can’t Fight, You Can’t Retreat”
- Yuriy Shcherbak. Book “Dead Memory. Voices and Cries”
Creative curatorship of cultural and artistic projects
- Tetiana Gauk, Olena Grozovska, Mykhailo Kulivnyk, Kateryna Lisova (exhibition curators), Daria Podoltsova (exhibition designer). Exhibition project Alla Horska. Boriviter.
- Valery Sakharuk (curator). Cultural and artistic project “30×30. Contemporary Ukrainian Art.”
Concert and performing arts
- Yulia Tkach (conductor, artistic director of the P. Maiboroda Academic Choir of Ukrainian Radio). Media project “One Step Away from Victory,” art cycles “Figures” and “Meeting of Eras,” concert programs and archival recordings from 2020-2025.
Photography
- Olena Grom with the photo project “Stolen Spring.”
Publicistics and journalism
- Kryshchopa Oleg. Documentary novel “Radio Aphrodite.”
Literary and art studies
- Olesya Avramenko. A series of popular science works on art from the author’s series “Accent” — four books: “BILOKUR,” “PRYKHODKO,” “TISTOL.”
- Serhiy Trymbach. The book “Ivan Mykolaychuk. Mysteries of Fate.”
Theater
- Oksana Dmitrieva (director). The plays “Vertep,” “Giraffe Mons” by the V.A. Afanasyev Kharkiv State Academic Puppet Theater, “The Tempest” by the Maria Zankovetska National Academic Ukrainian Drama Theater, and “Medea” by the Ivan Franko Ivano-Frankivsk National Academic Theater.
Cinema
- Pavlo Ostrikov (screenwriter, director). Film “You Are the Cosmos”
Decorative and applied arts
- Igor Matsievsky (art glass master). Art project “Born in Fire” (series of artworks made of Ukrainian glass).
Visual arts
- Nazar Bilyk. “Memorial to Ukrainian Scouts,” series of sculptures “Turbulent Space,” “Alloy.”
There are 13 nominations in total. The full list of winners will be announced in a decree by the President of Ukraine.
