People's Artist of Ukraine is an honorary and the highest title awarding to outstanding performing artists whose merits are exceptional in the sphere of the development of the performing arts (theatre, music, dance, circus, cinema, etc.). Established in 1922 during Soviet times, it was technically called People's Artist of the Ukrainian SSR (Народний артист УРСР). With the establishment of independent Ukraine, this tradition was kept and the title was renamed as People's Artist of Ukraine (Народний артист України).