The Cosmoscow Foundation announced the winners of its annual programs ahead of the 13th Charity Auction

On April 9, ahead of the 13th Charity Auction at the historic Eliseevsky (14 Tverskaya St.), owned by R4S, the Cosmoscow Foundation announced the winners of its annual programs. The charity evening will take place on April 13 with the support of its partners: Sber Private Banking, R4S, Beluga, Tete de Cheval, and Edis.

The winners of the 2026 Cosmoscow Foundation annual programs are: Igor Samolet — Artist of the Year, the Tretyakov Gallery Branch in Samara — Museum of the Year, and the MIRA Creative Community (Suzdal) — Institution of the Year.

Igor Samolet — Artist of the Year

The winning artist will be given the opportunity to develop a new project with financial support from the Foundation. The project will be presented at the Cosmoscow fair, and the Artist of the Year's work will also form the basis for the issue's visual identity.. 

Igor Samolet is a Russian artist born in 1984 in Kotlas. He graduated from Syktyvkar State University with a degree in graphic design and the Rodchenko Moscow School of Photography and Multimedia. He works on the border between photography and installation.

The Tretyakov Gallery Branch in Samara — Museum of the Year

The program is based on collaboration with museum institutions: the Cosmoscow Foundation supports the expansion of Russian institutions' collections with works by contemporary artists, the reorganization and modernization of existing collections, and the restoration of art objects. In addition, the nominated museum traditionally exhibits a special project at the fair.

The Tretyakov Gallery in Samara opened in 2024 in the restored Factory Kitchen building—a masterpiece of constructivism. Designed by architect Ekaterina Maximova and built in 1932, the Factory Kitchen's history has become an integral context for many of the gallery team's projects. Archival materials and exhibits from the Narpit era are integrated into an exhibition dedicated to the building and the stories of the people who worked there, as part of the "Factory Kitchen Museum" project. The discovery of a vegetable garden at the Factory Kitchen inspired the museum team to create the "Neighborhood Vegetable Garden" project, which united the local community around the topics of gardening, ecology, and a love of art.

The MIRA Creative Community (Suzdal) — Institution of the Year

The Cosmoscow Foundation's Board of Trustees selects the non-profit art institution of the year based on a list of nominees proposed by invited experts. The winner receives funding to implement a project at the fair.

The MIRA Creative Community is a non-profit cultural institution and a center for contemporary art and cultural tourism in Suzdal. The project implements initiatives in the fields of performance arts and museum and exhibition activities, and supports creative associations of directors, actors, and artists through artist-in-residence programs.

MIRA builds a broad network of collaborations with artists, curators, directors, musicians, architects, designers, researchers, filmmakers, and scientists, creating a rich cultural program across several venues across the city.