Main points
- The 2026 Taras Shevchenko National Prize of Ukraine was awarded in various categories, including prose, journalism, cinema, theater, etc.
- Each winner received a diploma, a badge of honor, and a cash prize of 484,480 hryvnias.
Who won the Shevchenko Prize 2026 / Collage of Channel 24
The award ceremony for the laureates of the Taras Shevchenko National Prize of Ukraine 2026 took place on March 9. Traditionally, the event is dedicated to the birthday of the great Kobzar.
The names of the 2026 Shevchenko Prize laureates were published on the website of the President of Ukraine.
Who received the Shevchenko Prize in 2026?
Prose:
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Yuriy Shcherbak – for the book of summaries and prophecies “Dead Memory. Voices and Screams”;
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Pavlo Belyansky – for the novel “You Can't Retreat When Fighting.”
Poetry:
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The prize was not awarded.
Literary and art criticism:
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Olesya Avramenko – for art history popular science works from the Accent author's series: books “Bilokur”, “Prykhodko”, “Tistol”;
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Serhiy Trymbach – for the book “Ivan Mykolaychuk. Mysteries of Fate”.
Publicity and journalism:
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Oleg Kryshtopa – for the documentary novel “Radio “Aphrodite””.
Cinematography:
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Pavlo Ostrikov – for the film “You are Space”.
Theatrical art:
Oksana Dmitrieva – for:
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performances “Vertep”, “Giraffe Mons” of the Kharkiv State Academic Puppet Theater named after V. A. Afanasyev;
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the play “The Storm” by the Maria Zankovetska National Academic Ukrainian Drama Theater;
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the performance “Medea” by the Ivano-Frankivsk National Academic Theater named after Ivan Franko.
Creative curation of cultural and artistic projects:
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Tetyana Gauk, Olena Grozovska, Mykhailo Kulivnyk, Kateryna Lisova, Darya Podoltseva – for the exhibition project “Alla Gorska. Boryviter”;
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Valeriy Sakharuk – for the cultural and artistic project “30×30. Contemporary Ukrainian Art”.
Design:
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The prize was not awarded.
Decorative and applied arts:
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Ihor Matsievsky – for the art project “Born in Fire” (a series of works of art made of Ukrainian glass).
Photographic art:
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Olena Grom – for the photo project “Stolen Spring”.
Visual Arts:
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Nazar Bilyk – for the “Memorial to Ukrainian Intelligence Officers”, the series of sculptures “Disturbed Space” and “Alloy”.
Concert and performing arts:
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Yulia Tkach – for the media project “A Step Towards Victory”, as well as the art cycles “Figures”, “Meeting of Epochs”, concert programs and fund recordings 2020-2025.
Musical art:
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Oleksiy Skrypnyk – for the choral concert “Catharsis” for mixed choir a cappella on canonical texts and Symphony No. 3 “Galina” for violin and symphony orchestra.
Each winner received a diploma, a badge of honor, and a cash prize of 484,480 hryvnias.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy also spoke during the award ceremony.
Ukrinform journalists reported that Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke at the 2026 Shevchenko Prize award ceremony
The President emphasized that after the “terrible Russian winter,” a Ukrainian spring is coming: in culture and art. Ukraine has won this hope thanks to the military and everyone who preserves the Ukrainian identity.
What is known about the Shevchenko Prize?
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The Shevchenko Prize is a state award of Ukraine, established in 1961 – on the 100th anniversary of the reburial of Taras Shevchenko. The prize is awarded for a significant contribution to the development of culture and art.
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The award recognizes the authors of the most outstanding works of literature and art, journalism, and journalism, which are considered “the supreme spiritual heritage of the Ukrainian people,” as well as those that affirm “high humanistic ideals” and enrich national consciousness and identity.
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Currently, laureates are determined in 7 categories: literature, journalism and journalism, literary and art studies, music, theater, cinema, and visual arts.
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In 2025, the laureates of the Shevchenko Prize included Yuriy Izdryk, Pavlo Kazarin, Oleksandr Shymko, Bohdana Pivnenko and others.