Vladimir Putin sent a message of congratulations to composer, conductor and pianist, National Artist of the USSR Raimonds Pauls on his 80^th birthday.

Vladimir Putin attended a concert of the Children’s Choir of Russia.

The Children’s Choir of Russia is a team of a thousand young performers representing virtually the entire country that was created in 2013 on the initiative of the National Choral Society with the support of the Government and the Culture Ministry. The choir made its debut in January 2014 at the Mariinsky Theatre.

Vladimir Putin chaired a meeting of the Presidential Council for Culture and Art in the Kremlin.

Vladimir Putin sent congratulations to the Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra on the 85^th anniversary of its creation.

On December 25, at the Kremlin Vladimir Putin will chair a meeting of the Presidential Council for Culture and Ars.

The meeting, chaired by Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Sergei Ivanov, summed up the 2015 results of implementing the plan of key activities to prepare for and hold celebrations, and identified priority objectives for 2016.

Vladimir Putin took part in a ceremony closing the Year of Literature and opening the Year of Russian Cinema. The event took place on the new stage of the State Academic Mariinsky Theatre.

Vladimir Putin met with Director-General of UNESCO Irina Bokova on the sidelines of the St Petersburg International Cultural Forum.

Vladimir Putin spoke at the plenary session of the IV St Petersburg International Cultural Forum.

Vladimir Putin participated in a ceremony presenting crown jewels, insignia, awards and commemorative medals of the Russian Empire and unique cultural heritage items exported from Russia in the 1920s and 1930s to the Moscow Kremlin Museums.

Vladimir Putin held a meeting of the Mariinsky Theatre Board of Trustees.

The President signed Executive Order To Enter the Federal State Public Cultural Institution State Museum of the Heroic Defence and Liberation of Sevastopol on the List of Particularly Valuable Sites of the Cultural Heritage of the Peoples of the Russian Federation.

Vladimir Putin personally congratulated National Artist of Russia, Artistic Director of the Moscow State Variety Theatre Gennady Khazanov on his 70^th birthday.

Vladimir Putin expressed his condolences following the death of film director, screenplay writer and playwright Eldar Ryazanov.

Vladimir Putin signed Federal Law On Amendments to Articles 25 and 256 of the Federal Law On Procedures for Entry to and Exit from the Russian Federation and Article 13 of the Federal Law On Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation.

Vladimir Putin visited the renovated auditorium and museum at Nizhny Tagil Drama Theatre named after Dmitry Mamin-Sibiryak.

The Presidential Executive Office of the Russian Federation held extended meetings of the Presidential Council for Culture and Art interdepartmental commissions on November 17 and 19, 2015. In addition to Council members, participants in the events held in preparation for the next meeting of the Presidential Council for Culture and Art, scheduled for the end of 2015, included representatives from ministries and departments, workers in culture and the arts, and leading academics, experts and specialists.

Vladimir Putin approved the Russian Schools Abroad Concept Document.

Vladimir Putin presented state decorations to a number of foreign citizens in a ceremony at the Kremlin. Ten people were awarded decorations for their outstanding services to strengthening peace, friendship, cooperation and mutual understanding between nations.