The Watch Russia Award is dedicated to the people, places, and initiatives that make a significant contribution to contemporary life in Russia.
Translated with AI assistance
On 12 October, the Yermolova Theatre will host the first award ceremony of the «Hommage. Watch Russia». Its honorees will be individuals and projects from a wide variety of fields – culture, architecture, design, gastronomy, hospitality, local production, entrepreneurship, and territorial development.
Among them may be creators of museums and hotels, architects and designers, farmers and winemakers, entrepreneurs, researchers, developers of new routes, and those who have been working with a particular city, place, or craft for years.
For «Hommage,» contribution, quality of work, and consistency are what matter — the significance that a person or project acquires for their place, professional community, and the people 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 causes we consider important. We wanted to bring together those who have spent years preserving what is valuable, creating something new, and influencing the world around them through their work,” says Natalia Shastik, Editor-in-Chief of Watch Russia.
The name of the award defines its meaning. An homage is a sign of respect and gratitude for work that has already become significant for its place, profession, or community. Sometimes everyone knows about such work. Sometimes only those who have directly encountered it do. For this award, what matters is the inherent value of what has been done.
“Hommage. Watch Russia” has six main categories.
«Homage to a Place» – for a place that helps you see a territory in a new way. This could 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 related to the land and its produce: gastronomy, winemaking, farming, local production, and responsible territorial development.
«Homage to Culture» – for cultural, museum, artistic, educational, and research projects that preserve memory and help people better understand the country.
«Homage to Design» – for a contemporary design language: objects and interiors, architecture, visual systems, brands, and design practices.
«Homage to Initiative» – for entrepreneurial, social, educational, institutional, and community projects that give rise to new connections and opportunities.
«Homage to Dialogue» – for individuals and projects that build sustainable connections between Russia and international professional, cultural, and business communities.
The main honorary award of the prize is “Homage to the Elder”. It will be given to a person whose many years of contribution to culture remain significant today. This could be a master, researcher, architect, entrepreneur, mentor, founder of an institution, or someone without whom it would be hard to imagine the history of a particular place.
Seniority here means, above all, experience, trust, and the legacy one leaves behind.
“Essentially, ‘Hommage’ is an award of gratitude. It is a chance to say thank you to the people who have been doing their work seriously for many years, and to those who today are creating what may eventually become an important part of our culture and life,” says Maria Soboleva, publisher of Watch Russia.
The first «Hommage. Watch Russia» ceremony will be held on 12 October 2026, at the Moscow Yermolova Drama Theatre.
