Lviv Puppet Theater Renounces Soviet-Era Honorifics, Urges National Abolition

Lviv Puppet Theater Rejects Honorary Titles

According to Главком: The Lviv Academic Regional Puppet Theater has announced it will no longer accept the honorary titles 'Honored Artist' and 'People's Artist of Ukraine.' This decision, initiated by the theater's chief director, Yana Titarenko, has received full support from the director and artistic head, Ulyana Moroz, and the entire acting company.

Critique of the Awards System

The title 'People's Artist of Ukraine' is conferred by the President of Ukraine under the law 'On State Awards of Ukraine.' This title originates from the Soviet-era 'People's Artist of the Ukrainian SSR.' The regulations for Ukrainian honorary titles were approved on June 29, 2001. The 'People's Artist' title is meant to recognize outstanding performance skill and the creation of high-artistic works with international recognition, while the 'Honored Artist' title is for high performance skill and works considered part of the national cultural-artistic heritage.

The theater's press service criticized the existing awards system, stating:

'We are convinced that this system of honorary titles is an outdated colonial mechanism that does not guarantee artistic quality and is instead often based on lobbying and non-transparent procedures. As part of cultural decolonization, we must finally 'peel off' this Soviet relic. Such a practice is a clear anachronism that does not exist in European countries.'

Furthermore, the theater community highlighted how the awards have been discredited, noting that even during Ukraine's independence, these honors were given to Russian artists, thereby placing Ukrainian cultural figures on the same level as representatives of the colonizer's culture. 'We call on the Ministry of Culture, which is currently working on a reform strategy, to hear the voice of the professional community and consider the possibility of abolishing the system of Soviet-era honorary titles at the state level,' the theater's representatives stated.

This move by the Lviv Puppet Theater is a significant step in the broader context of decolonizing Ukrainian culture and re-evaluating its awards system. The decision reflects the theater community's drive to align with modern European standards, a stance that may gain support from other cultural institutions in Ukraine. Such initiatives could spark a wider national debate about the role of state awards in the arts and their relevance to contemporary cultural needs. This action is part of a larger cultural shift in Ukraine seeking to shed Soviet legacies and assert a distinct national identity.