On March 9, the official resource of the President of Ukraine published a decree awarding the National Prize of Ukraine named after Taras Shevchenko for the year 2026. This prestigious award recognizes outstanding achievements in the fields of culture, art, literature, and science.
This is reported by Finway
Shevchenko Prize Winners 2026
According to the decision of the Committee for the National Prize of Ukraine named after Taras Shevchenko, the prize this year has been awarded to:
- Olesya Avramenko – art historian, author of the popular science series “Accent,” which includes the books “Bilokur,” “Prykhodko,” and “Tistol.”
- Pavlo Belyansky – writer, recognized for the novel “To Fight is Not to Retreat.”
- Nazar Bylyk – sculptor, author of the Memorial to Ukrainian Scouts, as well as the sculpture series “Disturbed Space” and “Alloy.”
- Tatyana Hauk, Olena Grozovska, Mykhailo Kulinik, Kateryna Lisova – curators of the exhibition and Darya Podoltsova – exhibition designer, who created the project “Alla Horska. Boriviter.”
- Olena Grom – photo artist, author of the photo project “Stolen Spring.”
- Oksana Dmitrieva – director, awarded for the productions “Vertep” and “Giraffe Mons” (Kharkiv State Academic Puppet Theatre named after V.A. Afanasiev), “Storm” (National Academic Ukrainian Drama Theatre named after Maria Zankovetska), and “Medea” (Ivano-Frankivsk National Academic Drama Theatre named after Ivan Franko).
- Oleg Krishtopa – journalist, author of the documentary novel “Radio ‘Aphrodite.'”
- Igor Matsievsky – master of artistic glass, creator of the art project “Born in Fire.”
- Pavlo Ostrikov – director and screenwriter, awarded for the film “You are the Cosmos.”
- Valeriy Sakharuk – curator of the cultural and artistic project “30×30. Contemporary Ukrainian Art.”
- Yulia Tkach – conductor, author of the media project “One Step to Victory,” artistic cycles “Figures,” “Meeting of Eras,” as well as concert programs and archival recordings for the years 2020–2025.
- Serhiy Trymbach – film scholar, awarded for the book “Ivan Mykolaychuk. Mysteries of Fate.”
- Yuriy Shcherbak – writer, author of the book “Dead Memory. Voices and Cries.”
Features and Significance of the Prize
Each laureate of this year’s Shevchenko Prize will receive a monetary award of 484,480 hryvnias. The prize is the highest national award in the field of culture, established in May 1961. It is awarded by the President of Ukraine based on the decision of the relevant committee. Each individual can receive this award only once in their lifetime.
“The Shevchenko Prize is the highest creative award for significant contributions to the development of culture and art. It was established in May 1961. The prize is awarded by the President of Ukraine based on the decision of the Committee for the National Prize of Ukraine named after Taras Shevchenko. A person can receive this award only once in their lifetime.”