VTB expands its grant program to support local history museums in Russia.

      On April 13, 2026, at 12:47, VTB Bank, in collaboration with the VTB-Country charitable foundation, is expanding its corporate program to support local history museums in Russia. The second stage of the "Beauty Within. Local History Museums of Russia" competition will cover all regions of the country and will last until 2027. Winners will receive grants of up to 1 million rubles. A total of up to 100 million rubles will be allocated for support.

      "Local history museums are treasure chests that preserve the traditions and customs of the region, the stories of generations, unique crafts, and skills. Last year, VTB launched the first stage of the grant competition, which covered 15 regions of the country, and the winners received 15 million rubles. This year, we are expanding the program to all 89 regions of Russia and increasing the funding for the competition. We are confident that support for institutions far from the center will help preserve their values, make them open, and more recognizable," commented Natalia Kochneva, Senior Vice President of VTB and Chair of the VTB-Country foundation.

      The program to support local history museums aims to preserve the cultural identity of the regions, to shape the image of local history museums as attractive leisure centers for youth and families, and to increase the accessibility of exhibitions for a wide audience. A significant focus of the project is on enhancing the digital direction and implementing new technologies.

      Local history museums from all regions of Russia can now participate in the competition. The jury will include representatives from the foundation, the bank, as well as independent experts from the museum sector, artists, and journalists specializing in cultural topics. Important criteria for evaluating applications will include relevance and social significance; innovation and uniqueness of the idea; practical feasibility, alignment with the goals and objectives of the competition; justification of planned expenses; and the presence of a media support and audience engagement plan.

      To participate in the program, it is necessary to fill out a questionnaire on the website of the VTB-Country charitable foundation. Results will be summarized and announced in July 2026, with project implementation by August 31, 2027.

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