Prime Minister Vladimir Putin congratulated the winners of the prize and expressed the hope that they will continue to delight all enthusiasts of culture with their new work. "Culture allows us to say that we are the children of a great country," Vladimir Putin said.

The government resolution to award the prizes was signed on December 26, 2011. Among the winners of the awards were Galina Vishnevskaya, director of the Galina Vishnevskaya Opera Centre; Mark Zakharov, artistic director of the Lenkom Theatre; Takhir Iksanov, director general of the State Academic Bolshoi Theatre; People's Artist of USSR Iosif Kobzon and Boris Eifman, artistic director of the State Academic Ballet Theatre of St Petersburg.