The winners of the ArtMasters Championship in the Junior category were awarded in Moscow

In Moscow, at the site of the State Tretyakov Gallery, a solemn ceremony was held to award the winners of the National Open Championship of Creative Competencies "ArtMasters" in the age category "Juniors". Awards were presented for individual achievements in 12 areas of the competition and team projects of the finalists.

ArtMasters is one of the most important partners of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation. The project significantly complements the system of additional education and helps to develop the creative abilities of schoolchildren. It is especially valuable that the participants of the "Juniors" direction go beyond the basic skills and become truly trained specialists. These young professionals are the future of the industry," said Alexander Bugaev, First Deputy Minister of Education of Russia.

More than 5,000 people aged 14 to 17 took part in the sixth season of the Junior Championship. 120 participants from 44 regions of Russia reached the final. Ten talents in each of the 12 creative competencies: 3D designer, Web designer, Video Editor, Videographer, Film and Media Sound engineer, Music video maker, Composer of popular music, Producer, Stylist, Screenwriter, Photographer, Animator. The winners received cash certificates (1st place — up to 300,000 rubles, 2nd place — up to 200,000 rubles, 3rd place — up to 100,000 rubles), as well as the opportunity for internships, employment and integration of work into real projects. The status of a finalist and winner of the Championship is also taken into account as an individual achievement when applying to partner universities in specialized areas of study.

"Every year our juniors prove that the creative cluster in Russia has a bright future. The projects that the guys create at such a young age are amazing in their depth, technical complexity and, most importantly, sincerity. The championship is not just a competition, but an entry point into the large—scale ecosystem of ArtMasters and a real social elevator that gives you the opportunity to take the first steps in your career as a teenager. We are proud of each finalist and are confident that today's winners will become leaders of Russia's leading creative teams tomorrow," said Borislav Volodin, Director of ANO ArtMasters.

Finalists from different competencies were drawn into teams to work on the final task — the multimedia "Musical project — The Peoples of Russia: Cultural codes", as well as the animation project "Artem Markers — the power of a good deed".

As part of the work on the "Musical Project", the finalists created 10 tracks and shot music videos that reveal the cultural peculiarities of different peoples of Russia. In addition, the finalists have developed a series of animated short films as part of the Artem Markers — The Power of a Good Deed project.

The award ceremony was attended by representatives of government, business, education and creative industries.

ArtMasters is a leading Russian platform that unites professionals from the creative industries of cinema, music, theater, and digital art. Since 2020, the ecosystem has been supporting talents through educational programs, grants, and collaborations. The ArtMasters National Open Championship is the main competition for creative industry professionals in Russia, including those in the field of backstage and digital art. The main theme of the VII season of the competition is "The power of Unity. The art that unites." The project forms a pool of highly qualified experts and contributes to the expansion of the creative cluster, which corresponds to the priorities of state policy in the field of the development of creative industries and human capital.

The competition is an important part of the ArtMasters ecosystem, which unites creative industry professionals. Participants get access to a large-scale platform of opportunities for professional growth. All ArtMasters projects are open to new participants and specialists from Russia and other countries. The ecosystem was created to unlock the creative potential of everyone with the support of business, government and experts in the field of creative industries.