This year, the Ministry of Culture of Latvia received 17 applications for the Award for Outstanding Achievements in Culture, reported Lita Kokale, head of the public relations department of the ministry, to the LETA agency.
Among the candidates are representatives from architecture, design, film, cultural education and heritage, literature and book trade, music, as well as visual and performing arts.
Candidates were nominated by institutions under the Ministry of Culture, industry advisory councils, non-governmental organizations, and municipalities. The submitted applications will be reviewed by the Latvian National Council for Culture, which will select three finalists and present them to the Minister of Culture for approval.
The names of the laureates will be announced on December 17 at the award ceremony, which will take place at the renovated workshop "Riga Makerspace" of the Latvian Academy of Arts.
The award was established to express the appreciation of the Latvian state for outstanding achievements in the field of culture that contribute to the popularization of Latvian cultural values and strengthen the country's image abroad.
Those who have achieved significant success at international competitions, festivals, or other professional platforms, whose works have received wide resonance and contributed to the growth of Latvia's cultural authority, are eligible for the award.
Each of the three laureates will receive 7,000 euros after taxes. The ceremony is organized by the Ministry of Culture and the Latvian Academy of Arts.
The "Award for Outstanding Achievements in Culture" was established in 2014 at the initiative of the Latvian Council of Creative Unions with the support of the National Council for Culture. Previous laureates include Alexander Antonenko, Andris Nelsons, Gidon Kremer, Alvis Hermanis, Imants Lancmanis, Elīna Garanča, the Rundāle Palace Museum, and the Sinfonietta Rīga orchestra.
