In 1976, she graduated from Voronezh Choreography Institute with flying colors with a degree in the Art of Ballet; in 1982, she received an Honors Diploma from the Lunacharsky State Institute for Theatre Arts in specialty “Ballet Master Teacher”. In 1990 she defended a Master’s thesis in GITIS on the topic “Stages of development of choreographic art at the amateur stage”.
In 1982–1990 — head of the Department of Choreography in the All-Union Research and Method Center of Folk Arts and Cultural Engagement Work of the Ministry of Culture of the USSR. In 1991–2008 – Deputy Director of the Russian National House of Folk Arts, State Russian House of Folk Arts. In 2008–2009 — First Deputy Director of the State Russian House of Folk Arts. Since November 17, 2009 — Director of the State Russian House of Folk Arts.
Author of many monographs, analytical research materials, articles, reports in conferences, congresses and meetings dedicated to the issues of preservation and development of folk arts, traditional culture, mass recreational activity, amateur art.
Deputy Chairwoman of the Arts Expert Council for selection of candidates for awarding with the Prize of the Government of the Russian Federation “Soul of Russia” for outstanding achievements in development of folk arts;
Member of Expert Council for awarding of prizes of the Government of the Russian Federation in the field of culture and art;
Expert for distribution of grants of the Government of the Russian Federation in the field of culture and art;
Member of the Editorial Board of the journals “Ballet”, “Narodnoe Tvorchestvo” (“Folk Arts”);
Chairwoman of the Board of the Kartashova and Reus Folk Dance Development Foundation, et cetera;
Chairwoman of the Russian Committee for preservation of intangible cultural heritage under the auspices of the Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO.
Laureate of the Prize of the Government of the Russian Federation in the field of culture for the project “Establishment of the all-Russian information system “Folk Arts of Russia” (2005). Since 1993 she teaches “History of choreographic art” at the Department of choreography and ballet science of the Bolshoi Ballet Academy (the Moscow State Academy of Choreography). Author of training programs for higher educational institutions of art, guidebook “Teach children to dance” (co-authored by A.N. Belikova and O.V. Kvetnaya, 2002), monograph “Dance on amateur stage” (20th century: achievements and problems) — 2006, et cetera.
Tamara Purtova’s activity was awarded with the letters of gratitude from RF President (2012), Minister of Culture, Chairman of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation (2015), Order of Friendship (2008), medal of the Governor of Kemerovo Region “For Faith and Good Deeds” (2010), medal “For contribution in celebration of the 70 year anniversary of defeat of Fascist troops near Moscow” (2011), Lapel Pin of the Ministry of Culture of the Chechen Republic “For development of culture” (2011), commemorative medal “Patriot of Russia” (2011), medal “Alexis the Man of God” (2011), medal “For contribution in and preparation of celebration of the 200-year anniversary of Victory in the Patriotic War of 1812” (2012), anniversary token of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) “380 years of Yakutia with Russia” (2012), diploma and commemorative model of the Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO for a considerable personal contribution in cooperation between Russia and UNO in the matters of education, science and culture (UNESCO) in the field of preservation of intangible cultural heritage (2013), Order of Honor (2016), Honorary Diploma of the President of the Russian Federation “For Merits in the Development of National Culture and Art” (2018), Commendation of the President of the Russian Federation (2021) “For Great Contribution to the Preparation and Implementation of Socially Important Events”, Order of Friendship of Peoples of the Head of the Republic of Bashkortostan R. Khabirov (2021) “For Holding the VI World Folklore Games”.