The Watch Russia Award is dedicated to the people, places and initiatives that make a notable contribution to contemporary life in Russia.
On 12 October, the Yermolova Theatre will host the inaugural Hommage. Watch Russia awards ceremony. Its honourees will be individuals and projects from a wide range of fields – culture, architecture, design, gastronomy, hospitality, local production, entrepreneurship and regional development.
Among them may be the creators of museums and hotels, architects and designers, farmers and winemakers, entrepreneurs, researchers, authors of new itineraries and those who have spent years working with a particular town, place or craft.
For Hommage, what matters is contribution, the quality of one’s work and consistency – the significance that a person or project acquires for their place, their professional milieu and those around them.
“For Watch Russia, this award is a continuation of what we do as an editorial team: telling the story of Russia through the people, places and endeavours we consider important. We wanted to bring together those who have spent years preserving what is valuable, creating something new and shaping the world around them through their work,” says Natalya Shastik, Editor-in-Chief of Watch Russia.
The name of the prize defines its purpose. An homage is a mark of respect and gratitude for work that has already become significant to its place, profession or community. Sometimes such work is known to everyone; sometimes only to those who have encountered it directly. For the prize, what matters is the inherent value of what has been achieved.
“Ommage. Watch Russia” has six main categories.
Homage to a Place – for a place that helps us see a territory in a new light. This may be a city or region, a resort, a hotel, a cultural route, an architectural space, a tourism cluster or a local initiative.
‘Homage to the Land’ – for projects connected with the land and its produce: gastronomy, winemaking, farming, local production and the responsible development of a territory.
“Homage to Culture” – for cultural, museum, artistic, educational and research projects that preserve memory and help us better understand the country.
‘Design Hommage’ – for a contemporary formal language: objects and interiors, architecture, visual systems, brands and design practices.
“Homage to Initiative” – for entrepreneurial, social, educational, institutional and civic projects that give rise to new connections and opportunities.
“Homage to Dialogue” – for the people and projects that build lasting connections between Russia and international professional, cultural and business circles.
The principal honorary accolade of the awards is “Homage to the Elder”. It will be presented to an individual whose many years of contribution to culture remain significant today. This may be a master craftsman, a researcher, an architect, an entrepreneur, a mentor, the founder of an institution, or someone without whom it would be difficult to imagine the history of a particular place.
Seniority here means, above all, experience, trust and the mark one leaves behind.
“In essence, ‘Hommage’ is an award of gratitude. It is a chance to say thank you to those who have been doing their work in earnest for many years, and to those who today are creating what may, in time, become an important part of our culture and lives,” says Maria Soboleva, publisher of Watch Russia.
The first Hommage. Watch Russia ceremony will take place on 12 October 2026 at the M.N. Yermolova Moscow Drama Theatre.
More about the award:
hommage.watchrussia.com
For the press:
hommage_watchrussia@mediacrat.company
+7 (495) 532-63-37
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