The final stage of the ArtMasters Open international competition will take place in Ekaterinburg on 12–15 September as part of the International Festival of Youth 2026. Ten teams made up of representatives from 25 countries around the world will compete for victory in the “Film” and “Music” categories. Over several days, participants will create completed creative works and present them to an international jury.
“ArtMasters Open is an opportunity to use the language of art to address issues that matter to society and draw the attention of a broad audience to them. Today, the creative industries are becoming a link between society, culture and the state, helping to foster dialogue and create a more inclusive environment. This year, participants in the ‘Film’ category will create social videos about the value of art and its role in people’s lives. It is important to us that these works not only demonstrate the professional level of young creators but also provide an opportunity to discuss what we want modern society to be like,” said Borislav Volodin, Director of the autonomous non-profit organisation ArtMasters.
Finalists in the “Film” category will develop and shoot social videos on the theme “The Art of Being Human”, focusing on culture as a universal language in an era of technological change and the development of artificial intelligence. Participants in the “Music” category will work on creating music videos for well-known performers.
“With each passing day, we are getting closer to the International Youth Festival in Ekaterinburg. And it is especially pleasing that the ArtMasters Open final will become a vibrant part of the festival programme. Very soon, participants will come together to create and demonstrate in practice that art knows no borders. We are very much looking forward to this moment,” said Dmitry Ivanov, Director General of the World Youth Festival Directorate.
The final pitching session for the team projects and the awards ceremony for the winners will take place on 15 September. The finalists will present their projects to an international jury.
In 2026, the ArtMasters Open competition was included in the programme of the ArtMasters National Open Championship of Creative Competences for the first time. More than 3,500 people from several dozen countries applied to take part in the project. Participants could choose one of 14 creative competences in the “Film” and “Music” categories. TV BRICS is the international information partner of the championship.