The Bleshchunov Museum in Odesa has advanced to the finals of the ICOM International Award

The O. V. Bleshchunov Odessa Municipal Museum of Private Collections has advanced to the finals of the 2026 ICOM COMMS Awards. Its project, *Odessa. "Museum Diary of the War," authored by Olena Ilyasova and Maria Apryatova, was shortlisted among 112 projects from 62 countries worldwide.

This was reported by the Odesa City Council. 

<span><span><span><span><span><span>The project is nominated in two categories:</span></span></span></span></span></span>

• <span><span><span><span><span><span>Category 4 — Best Storytelling.</span></span></span></span></span></span>
• <span><span><span><span><span><span>Category 10 — Best of the Year.</span></span></span></span></span></span>

<span><span><span><span><span><span>In the list of finalists, the museum project is described as a bilingual graphic novel about the institution’s resilience during the war. The authors tell the story of how the museum’s collection was saved through the lives of two cats— Mariseli and Panna Koty.</span></span></span></span></span></span>

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The plot is based on real events. It covers the packing and protection of museum artifacts, the staff’s work during air raid alerts and power outages, the preservation of cultural heritage, and the museum’s efforts to continue its operations amid the war. Odessa itself emerges as a distinct character in the story—a city whose streets, atmosphere, and everyday life have been transformed by the war.

<span><span><span><span><span><span>The ICOM COMMS competition recognizes museum communication projects for their innovation, creativity, and strategic quality. Winners are determined through a hybrid format: the jury’s evaluation is combined with the results of a public vote. Finalists compete on equal footing, without an internal ranking. Voting continues until October 10.</span></span></span></span></span></span>

<span><span><span><span><span><span>Previously, works</span></span></span></span></span></span>by illustratorDaria Filippovafrom Odesa were longlisted for the prestigious international World Illustration Awards 2026.

Юлія Калабайда