Moscow Writers' Union

The Moscow Writers' Union (Союз писателей Москвы, СПМ) is a Russian creative union founded in 1992 that unites writers to protect their rights and legitimate interests. It emerged from the collapse of the USSR Writers' Union after the August 1991 events, building on the Independent Writers' Association 'April' formed in 1990. Its members have included classic Soviet literature figures such as Bulat Okudzhava, Fazil Iskander, Bella Akhmadulina, Andrei Voznesensky, Anatoly Pristavkin, academician Dmitry Likhachev, and writers Leonid Zhukhovitsky, Tatyana Kuzovleva, Vladimir Savelyev, and Vladimir Kornilov. The union has about 2,000 members and is governed by a secretariat. It organizes literary events, awards the 'Venets' literary prize, and publishes the newspaper 'Literaturnye vesti' and the journal 'Koltso A'. The first secretary from its founding until 1998 was poet and translator Vladimir Savelyev; from 1999 until her death in 2008, Rimma Kazakova served as first secretary. Currently, the first secretary is critic, publicist, literary scholar, doctor of cultural studies, former rector of the Literary Institute, former Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation, and former Ambassador of Russia to UNESCO and the UN, Evgeny Sidorov. Under the auspices of the SPМ, five literary salons operate monthly at the Central House of Writers. The union annually holds a meeting of young writers from Moscow and the Moscow region and awards the 'Venets' literary prize. In 2009, the 'For a Bright Beginning in Creativity' prize named after Rimma Kazakova was established. The criterion for admission is the artistic value of published works, requiring recommendations from two members.

The Moscow Writers' Union (СПМ) was organized in 1992 as a creative union uniting writers to protect their rights and legitimate interests. It arose from the disintegration of the USSR Writers' Union following the August 1991 events. The foundation of the new creative union was the Independent Writers' Association 'April', formed in 1990. Members of NPA 'April' included classics of Soviet literature such as Bulat Okudzhava, Fazil Iskander, Bella Akhmadulina, Andrei Voznesensky, Anatoly Pristavkin, academician Dmitry Likhachev, and writers Leonid Zhukhovitsky, Tatyana Kuzovleva, Vladimir Savelyev, and Vladimir Kornilov, who were also part of the Union of Russian Writers. They advocated democratic changes in the social and political life of the state, freedom of speech, and independence of literary creativity from control. In their views and worldviews, СПМ members fundamentally diverged from their colleagues in the Union of Writers of Russia. Fundamental disagreements between СПМ and SPR resurfaced in spring 2013 during the polemic about 'Total Dictation'. Today, СПМ has about 2,000 members. The organization is led by a secretariat that includes writers: Evgeny Ben, Evgeny Bunimovich, Lola Zvonareva, Elena Isaeva, Galina Klimova, Tatyana Kuzovleva, Viktor Kulle, Anatoly Kurchatkin, Victoria Lebedeva, Alexander Nabokov, Galina Nerpina, Alexander Pereverzin, Evgeny Popov, Valeria Pustovaya, Mark Rozovsky, Alexander Sebelev, Roman Senchin, Alexander Snegirev, Evgeny Stepanov, Elina Sukhova, Igor Kharichev, Oleg Khlebnikov, and Vasily Natsentov. The first secretary of СПМ from its founding until 1998 was poet and translator Vladimir Savelyev. From 1999 until her death in 2008, the first secretary was Rimma Kazakova. Currently, the first secretary of СПМ is critic, publicist, literary scholar, doctor of cultural studies, former rector of the Literary Institute, former Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation, and former Ambassador of Russia to UNESCO and the UN, Evgeny Sidorov. Under the auspices of СПМ, five literary salons operate monthly at the Central House of Writers: the Club of One Poem (with open microphone), the 'Koltso A' Club, the 'Moscow Muse' Club (women's poetry), the 'Lute of Oriola' Club (philosophical mystical lyrics), and the СПМ Creative Club (presentation of new works, round tables, discussions). СПМ annually holds a meeting of young writers from Moscow and the Moscow region and awards the 'Venets' literary prize. In 2009, the 'For a Bright Beginning in Creativity' prize named after Rimma Kazakova was established, whose laureate was young Moscow poetess Natalya Polyakova. СПМ publishes the newspaper 'Literaturnye vesti' and the journal 'Koltso A'. The criterion for admission to the Moscow Writers' Union is the artistic value of published works; recommendations from two members of the Union are required.

• 2019

  Secretariat decision on September 13 regarding expulsion of members who have not paid dues for three years.

• 2013

  Fundamental disagreements between СПМ and SPR resurface during polemic about 'Total Dictation'.

• 2009

  Prize 'For a Bright Beginning in Creativity' named after Rimma Kazakova established.

• 2008

  Rimma Kazakova dies; Evgeny Sidorov later becomes first secretary.

• 1999

  Rimma Kazakova becomes first secretary.

• 1998

  Vladimir Savelyev ends his term as first secretary.

• 1992

  Moscow Writers' Union organized.

• 1991

  August events lead to the disintegration of the USSR Writers' Union.

• 1990

  Independent Writers' Association 'April' formed, becoming the foundation of the future Moscow Writers' Union.

A creative union of writers advocating democratic change, freedom of speech, and independence of literary creativity.

• Newspaper 'Literaturnye vesti'

• Journal 'Koltso A'

• Venets Literary Prize

• Rimma Kazakova Prize 'For a Bright Beginning in Creativity'

1. 1Союз Писателей Москвыsoyuzpisateley.ru
2. 2Союз писателей Москвы - Wikipediaru.wikipedia.org
3. 3Soi͡uz pisateleĭ Moskvy - Wikidatawikidata.org