GlavUpDK under the MFA of Russia to hold Open Creative Competition “Architecture of Diplomacy” for its milestone 5th time

30 january 2026

GlavUpDK under the MFA of Russia announces the start of the 5th Open Creative Competition “Architecture of Diplomacy.”

The contest will be international in scope for the second year in a row.  Young artists aged 12 to 35 from all around the world, including established professionals and amateurs, university and college students, trainees from creative courses and schools, are invited to participate.

The subject for this year is “The Matryoshka doll, a conversation of ornaments and colors.” Artists are invited to reimagine one of the most recognizable phenomena of the Russian culture, the Matryoshka doll, as a symbol of family, unity and prosperity, using pictorial arts, decorative and applied arts and crafts.

For the first time in the competition's history, winners will be chosen in three categories. In addition to the traditional Child Artist (age 12 to 18) and Young Artist (age 18 to 35) categories, the jury will also evaluate works submitted in the Author of Small Sculptural Composition category.

Participants may use the basic idea and shape of the Matryoshka doll as a starting point, making it a canvas for the following stylistic interpretations:

  • Recognizable images from their own national cultures;
  • The peoples of Russia in all their diversity, to celebrate the Year of Unity of the Peoples of Russia;
  • Periods in the history of their countries;
  • Intercultural or international communication ideas;
  • Images that reveal the idea of connecting the inner and the outer—the understanding of oneself, one's own people or country;
  • Other visual images, at the discretion of the authors, emphasizing the originality and universality of the Matryoshka doll image for different peoples, cultures and countries.

The image of the Matryoshka doll itself has to be recognizable (even if its initial parameters change to accommodate the participant's creative vision and concept).

Prize money will be awarded to the winners.

Competition entries may be submitted till June 10.

The award ceremony will take place in Moscow.

Competition Regulations


Members of the jury

Dmitry Bak
Director, Vladimir Dal Museum of the History of Russian Literature
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Virtuozova Natalia
General Director of the ANO "Directorate of the Exhibition of Achievements of Russia"
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Ivan Glazunov
President, Ilya Glazunov Russian Academy of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture
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Gryaznova Elena Sergeevna
Referent of the All-Russian Public Organization Union of Artists of Russia
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Pavel Gusev
Editor-in-Chief, Moskovsky Komsomolets
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Maria Zakharova
Director, Information and Press Department of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
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Olga Zvonareva
Head of the Synergy of Talents Regional Children's Society
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Sergey Kurasov
President, Moscow State Stroganov Academy of Design and Applied Arts (Stroganov Academy)
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Anatoly Lyubavin
President, Moscow Surikov State Academic Institute of Fine Arts
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Olga Muratova
Chair, Department of Cultural Initiatives, Rossotrudnichestvo
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Vyacheslav Fatin
Head of GlavUpDK under MFA of Russia
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Vasiliy Tsereteli
President, Russian Academy of Arts
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Dmitry Shvidkovsky
President, Russian Academy of Architecture and Construction Sciences
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Sergey Shitkov
First Vice-Rector MGIMO- Director of the Diplomatic Academy MGIMO of MFA of Russia
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Nikolay Shumakov
President, Union of Architects of Russia
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Apply for participation

Competition entries (select files)*
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