People's Artist of Ukraine
People's Artist of Ukraine is an honorary title. It is the highest title awarded to outstanding performing artists whose merits are exceptional in the sphere of the development of the performing arts, including theatre, music, dance, circus, and cinema.

Established in 1922 during Soviet times, it was called People's Artist of the Ukrainian SSR (Народний артист УРСР). With the establishment of independent Ukraine, this tradition was kept and the title was renamed as People's Artist of Ukraine (Народний артист України). 
 
Its recipients include many of the most highly acclaimed artists.

During Soviet times, a person was usually named People's Artist only after reaching the age of 40. Exceptions were made for ballet artists.

There is also another honorary title, the Distinguished Artist of Ukraine («Заслужений артист України»), which is considered less important. Typically, the People's Artist award is given at least 10 years after one has earned the Distinguished Artist of Ukraine award.

List of selected recipients

People's Painter of Ukraine 
 Kateryna Vasylivna Bilokur
 Liudmyla Zhogol
 Volodymyr Patyk

Theatre, cinema 
Some of those awarded the honorary title in the fields of cinema and theatre are:
 Lidiya Belozyorova, actress
 Stanislav Boklan, Ukrainian theater, film, and television actor
 Volodymyr Bortko, film director, screenwriter, actor, producer
 Borislav Brondukov, actor
 Mykola Hrynko, actor
 Kirill Lavrov, actor
 Kira Muratova, film director, screenwriter, actress
 Viktor Stepanov, Soviet, Ukrainian, and Russian actor
 Oleh Fialko, Ukrainian film director and screenwriter
 Yuri Ilyenko, Soviet and Ukrainian film director and screenwriter

Dance
Some of those awarded the honorary title in the field of dance are:
 Tatiana Stepanova, Prima Ballerina
 Alexandr Stoyanov, ballet dancer
 German Isupov, Choreographer and Ballet Master

Music
Some of those awarded the honorary title in the field of music are:
 Anatoliy Avdiyevsky, conductor
 Serhiy Bashtan, bandurist (1995)
 Oleksandr Bilash, composer
 Ihor Bilozir, compositor, pop singer
 Oksana Bilozir, pop singer
 Andriy Bobyr, bandurist
 Viktor Hutsal, conductor
 Tina Karol, singer (2017)
 Ivan Kuchuhura Kucherenko, kobzar (1918) and (1925)
 Nadiya Kudelia, Ukrainian coloratura soprano singer
 Alla Kudlai, singer
 Ani Lorak, pop singer
 Nina Matviyenko, folk singer
 Romanna Vasylevych, banduristka
 Yuliy Meitus, composer
 Ruslana, pop singer, Eurovision Song Contest winner
 Sofia Rotaru, pop-singer, actress (alto)
 Volodymyr Yesypok, bandurist (2007)
 Taras Petrynenko (1999)
 Jamala, singer, songwriter, winner of Eurovision 2016 (2016) 
 Verka Serduchka, singer, second place on Eurovision Song Contest (2003)

Circus

Foreign recipients
 Philipp Kirkorov, singer (2008
 Nikolay Baskov, opera and pop-singer (tenor)
 Sargis Paradzhanov, Soviet, Ukrainian, Armenian and Georgian film director and screenwriter.
 Mikhail Zhvanetsky, writer of comic sketches, among other things
 Hobart Earle, American, long-time maestro of the Odesa Philharmonic (2013)

See also
 Honorary titles of Ukraine
 Merited Artist of Ukraine
 People's Artist of the USSR
 People's Artist
 List of European art awards

References

Ukrainian art awards
 
Performing arts in Ukraine
Ukraine
Honorary titles of Ukraine