History

This medal was first established in 1961 as the Shevchenko Republican Prize, but of 2000 it is now known as the National Prize.

This Medal is awarded as a state prize for "great achievements in the arts and culture". The recipient receives a monetary award with the Medal and there have been 574 awarded since 1962.

Taras Shevchenko was a Ukrainian poet and a political figure during the 1800's. During his life time he wrote many plays and poems, as well as pioneering the modern Ukrainian Language. His work did not sit well with the Russian Tsar so he was exiled in the 1840's.

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