In brief
- Date in 2026: Sunday, 11 October.
- Date rule: a floating date, falling on the second Sunday in October each year (in accordance with Presidential Decree No. 1132/98).
- Upcoming dates: 10 October 2027, 8 October 2028.
- Status of the day: not an official public holiday (not included in the list of public holidays and non-working days in Article 73 of the Labour Code).
- Other dates it is often confused with: 8 December and 25 October are not Ukrainian national professional holidays.
- In this article: dates by year, professions by classification and 15 ready-made greetings.
When is Artists’ Day in 2026?
In Ukraine, Artists’ Day in 2026 falls on Sunday, 11 October.
The Presidential Decree of Ukraine does not specify a particular date, but rather a rule:
‘To establish a professional holiday in Ukraine — Artist’s Day — to be celebrated annually on the second Sunday in October’.
That is why the date changes every year. In October 2026, Sundays fall on the 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th — accordingly, the second Sunday is the public holiday.
| Year | Date | Day of the week |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12 October | Sunday, celebrated — according to Ukrinform |
| 2026 | 11 October | Sunday |
| 2027 | 10 October | Sunday |
| 2028 | 8 October | Sunday |
Decree No. 1132/98: what exactly was established
The holiday was established by Decree of the President of Ukraine ‘On Artists’ Day’ No. 1132/98 of 9 October 1998, published in the newspaper ‘Uryadovyi Kur’ier’ on 13 October 1998. The document’s record indicates a single version — ‘Adopted on 09.10.1998’: the date of the holiday has not been altered by subsequent acts.
The preamble to the Decree sets out the grounds for establishing the public holiday: recognising the role of artists in the development of Ukrainian visual arts and the revival of national traditions, as well as supporting the initiative of the Union of Artists of Ukraine (now the National Union of Artists of Ukraine).
Two common misconceptions
Incorrect date of the decree’s issuance: Some calendar websites mistakenly state the date of signing as ‘9 September 1998’. The official and correct date is 9 October 1998.
Confusion with another decree: Decree No. 1132/2006 concerns the celebration of Ukrainian Unity Day in 2007 (it was repealed by Decree No. 1209/2011) and has no connection with Artists’ Day.
Is Artists’ Day a public holiday?
No, no additional day off is granted.
The list of public holidays and non-working days is exhaustively set out in Article 73 of the Labour Code of Ukraine (in particular, 1 January, 1 October and 25 December). As Artist’s Day is a professional holiday, it does not entitle employees to an additional day off and traditionally falls on a calendar Sunday.
Martial law and public holidays
During the period of martial law, the provisions of Article 73 of the Labour Code regarding the determination of non-working days do not apply (in accordance with Law of Ukraine No. 2136-IX of 15 March 2022, as amended by Law No. 2352-IX of 1 July 2022). However, this has no bearing whatsoever on Artist’s Day, as it was not an official public holiday even before the introduction of martial law.
Three holidays that search engines confuse
When searching for ‘Artist’s Day’, search engines often confuse three different events:
| Holiday | Date | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Artist’s Day (Ukraine) | The second Sunday in October (11 October 2026) | Decree of the President of Ukraine No. 1132/98 (official professional holiday) |
| World Art Day | 15 April | Proclaimed at the 40th session of the UNESCO General Conference in 2019 |
| International Artist Day | 25 October | Unofficial holiday; no primary official source available |
The date 8 December, which sometimes appears in search results, is not established by Ukrainian legislation and originates from the calendars of other countries.
Who to congratulate on Artists’ Day
The Presidential Decree addresses the holiday to artists in general, without specifying particular roles. The official reference is group 2452.2 ‘Sculptors, artists and fashion designers’ of the DK 003:2010 Classification of Occupations (Order of the State Consumer Standards Service No. 327 of 28 July 2010):
artist, art restorer, animator;
television graphic artist, artist specialising in composite filming;
folk arts and crafts artist, lacquer miniature artist;
sculptor, fashion designer, pattern-maker;
designer (artist-designer) of graphic works, interiors and multimedia objects.
A separate legal status is held by ‘professional creative worker’, as defined in Article 1 of the Law of Ukraine ‘On Professional Creative Workers and Creative Unions’ No. 554/97-VR.
The honorary titles ‘Honoured Artist of Ukraine’ and ‘People’s Artist of Ukraine’ are provided for in Article 10 of the Law of Ukraine ‘On State Awards of Ukraine’ No. 1549-III. The length of service in the field required to receive these titles is usually no less than 10 years, and the title ‘People’s Artist of Ukraine’ is generally conferred no earlier than 10 years after the title ‘Honoured Artist’ has been awarded.
15 ready-made Artist’s Day greetings
To colleagues and the team
Happy Artist’s Day! Thank you for bringing each of our ideas to a form we’re proud to show.
Happy Artist’s Day! You see raw material where others see just a ‘pretty picture’.
Happy professional holiday! I hope you get commissions where you aren’t asked to ‘do it exactly like that other artist’.
Happy Artist’s Day. May you come across more sketches that you want to see through to the end, rather than having to start from scratch.
To a client or partner
Happy Artist’s Day! With you, even a complex technical task turns into a meaningful conversation about the essence of the matter.
Happy professional holiday! We wish you projects in which there is always room for your unique artistic style.
Happy holiday. May your portfolio be filled with works that you’re proud to be the first to show.
To my teacher, mentor and master
Happy Artist’s Day! Thank you for guiding my hand and for the eyes that taught me to look at the details for longer than three seconds.
Happy Artist’s Day! Your professional feedback still echoes in my mind whenever I embark on a new project.
Happy Professional Day, Master! I wish you inspiration, talented students and a studio where there’s always good lighting.
In short — via messenger
Happy Artist’s Day! May you have rich colours, light and time for your own creativity.
Happy Artist’s Day! May your hand always follow your bold vision.
Happy Artist’s Day! May you create new canvases, find inspiration and make bold artistic choices.
Happy Artist’s Day! Thank you for the beauty you bring to our everyday lives.
Happy holiday! May you find inspiration for every working day and the peace and quiet needed for a new sketch.
Creative professions on Injobe
There are 35 active vacancies on Injobe, 17 of which are remote, i.e. 48.6 per cent. Creative job vacancies on Injobe are published in the ‘Show Business, Art, Culture’, with the full list available on the job listings page.
If you’re hiring an artist or designer, post your vacancy in this section.
Related professional holidays
All-Ukrainian Day of Cultural Workers and Folk Art Masters is celebrated on 9 November. The date was established by Presidential Decree No. 1209/2011 of 30 December 2011, and the holiday received its current name in accordance with Presidential Decree No. 455/2023 of 28 July 2023.
