Paradox PR Named as 2025 SABRE Finalist for Ukraine's 'Preserving Art in Crisis' Media Campaign Alongside Art Shield and Dom Master Klass

NEW YORK, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Paradox Public Relations, the leading communications firm advising the top decision-makers and companies shaping frontier markets, has been named as a finalist in the 2025 SABRE Awards North America. Paradox is named alongside partners Art Shield and Dom Master Klass for co-producing the "Kyiv Art Sessions" festival series in the United States and London as part of the larger "Preserving Art in Crisis" media campaign aimed at raising the profiles of Ukrainian artists worldwide.

The SABRE Awards, presented by PRovoke Media, represent the highest honors of public relations, communications, and brand-building. Media campaigns for Deloitte, McDonald's, Coca-Cola, Walmart, and Razom have all been nominated during this year's edition. Paradox, Art Shield, and Dom Master Klass are named as finalists in the award ceremony's "Educational & Cultural Institutions" category.

"We worked with Art Shield and Dom Master Klass to achieve results across several continents, with multiple trips to Ukraine, including Kharkiv, to bring the best Ukrainian talent to North America and Europe," says Paradox Public Relations President Davis Richardson. "A SABRE nomination is recognition of these efforts and to the artists who keep Ukraine's soul visible to the world. They have turned cultural preservation into an act of public diplomacy and defiance."

Paradox, Art Shield, and Dom Master Klass showcased 27 groundbreaking Ukrainian artists during Kyiv Art Sessions at Knotel's 'Old Sessions House' last spring in London's Clerkenwell district, resulting in coverage in The New York Times, The Spectator, Art Newspaper, among other esteemed publications. The festivals have been recognized by Ukrainian Ambassador Valerii Zaluzhny as "a powerful testament to the unyielding spirit of Ukrainian art and culture."

"At Art Shield, we believe that protecting culture is protecting the soul of a nation. This nomination honors the artists risking everything to keep Ukraine's creative spirit alive — and reminds the world that cultural heritage is frontline infrastructure," says Art Shield CEO Edward Akrout.

Kyiv Art Sessions included a photo-series from Ukrainian-American photographer Sasha Maslov, the first UK series of legendary 'Ukrainian Sixties' painter Oleksandr Dubovyk, and live musical performances from top Ukrainian musical talent Antytila, the NotaBene Chamber Choir, and D'ZOB. The festival also included an exhibit from the War Fragments Museum featuring translucent cubes with artifacts from Mauripol, Kherson, and other regions of Ukraine.

"Culture and Art in times of war is a story of struggling for Humanity: entirely laid bare — skinless, honest, poignant, aching, and uncompromising. And Kyiv nowadays is the Heart of this story for the whole planet," says Dom Master Klass Founder Evgeni Utkin. "The Dom Master Klass team believes that this nomination affirms that art remains a vital force in shaping not just identity, but international solidarity. Strategic partnerships with allies abroad — like those forged with Paradox and Art Shield through Kyiv Art Sessions — are essential for regeneration and building a cultural front that stands stronger than war."

Media Contact:

Marina Dillon, [email protected] 

About Paradox Public Relations

Paradox Public Relations is a U.S.-based strategic communications firm advising frontier-market leaders, emerging technology companies, and institutions at the intersection of global policy and innovation. With deep roots in Ukraine and a global perspective, Paradox specializes in shaping narratives that move markets, shift mindsets, and drive public interest.

Through its independent media arm, Paradox Politics, Paradox has published investigative reports from Ukraine, including dispatches alongside the Ukrainian Army's 24th Brigade from Zaporizhzhia, Kreminina, and Bakhmut.

About Art Shield

Art Shield is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization founded in 2022 by British actor and cultural advocate Edward Akrout. Dedicated to identifying, nurturing, and elevating artistic voices in communities facing war, oppression, or severe economic hardship, Art Shield's inaugural chapter focuses on preserving Ukrainian cultural heritage amid ongoing conflict. Through direct support to at-risk artists, safeguarding vulnerable artworks, and immersive events, exhibitions, and productions, the organization raises global awareness and forges international partnerships. With a mission that transcends borders, Art Shield offers a blueprint for protecting endangered voices everywhere, ensuring that art remains a force for resilience, cultural dialogue, and creative resistance in crisis zones worldwide.

About Dom Master Klass

Dom Master Klass is a Kyiv-based cultural institution that has been shaping Ukraine's artistic landscape since 2008. Founded by Evgeni Utkin, a pioneer of Ukraine's IT sector, and educator Iryna Budanska, the center has become a vital platform for multidisciplinary artistic expression and cultural diplomacy. Its flagship event, Bouquet Kyiv Stage, gathers artists from across the globe at the iconic Sophia Kyivska each summer. In the wake of the full-scale war, Dom Master Klass has emerged as a leading voice in using culture to expose atrocities, preserve identity, and connect global communities through co-creation.

SOURCE Paradox Public Relations