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Prešeren Award (Grand Prešeren Award)

ぷれしぇれんしょう

Slovenia's highest award in the arts field. Generally, up to 2 recipients per year.

LiteratureVisual artsPerforming artsMusicAcademia (historically: Science)
Established
1946
Organizer
Prešeren Fund (Prešernov sklad) — operates under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia
Category
Research, Translation, and Scholarship
Selection Method
Open call / Recommendation
Target
Open
Frequency
1 per year
Application Deadline
around September
Announcement Period
around February
Status
Active

Description

The Prešeren Award is the highest honor in Slovenia's arts fields (historically including academia), awarded annually by the Prešeren Fund (Prešernov sklad). Recipient works must have been published at least two years prior, and one can usually receive it only once. The award ceremony is held on the eve of Prešeren Day (a cultural holiday commemorating Franz Prešeren's death anniversary). At the same time, up to 6 Prešeren Fund Awards (Small Prešeren Awards) are presented, with the monetary prize for the Grand Award (Prešeren Award) set at three times that of the small awards. Under the 1991 law, up to 2 grand awards may be given.

Prize

Main Prize
Monetary prize and honor. Prešeren Award pays three times the amount of Prešeren Fund Award (Small Prešeren Award) (no specific amount mentioned in the text).
  • Honor and widespread recognition at the award ceremony
  • Linkage with Prešeren Fund (Small Prešeren Awards)
  • Possibility of group awards or lifetime achievement awards

Selection

Selection Process

Public tender / nomination
Judges Any individual or legal entity nominates (nominator). Proposals require justification and reference materials.
Pass Rate Approximately 100 proposals submitted annually (approximate)
Announcement Public tender opens on February 10 and closes on September 15.
Preliminary selection by field committees
Judges Prešeren Fund's 4 field-specific committees (7 members each) select candidates
Pass Rate Each committee proposes 2 Grand Award candidates and 6 Small Award candidates (total 8 Grand Award candidates, 24 Small Award candidates)
Announcement Committee proposals are submitted to the board.
Final selection by the board (secret ballot)
Judges Prešeren Fund Management Board (board, 15 members)
Pass Rate Recipients must be selected by a 2/3 majority of the board
Announcement Final vote held in November, board announces recipients after selection. Announcement/ceremony typically at the Prešeren Day eve event.

Criteria

  • Artistic value
  • Work published at least 2 years ago
  • Ensuring diversity considering balance of gender, region, generation, worldview, etc.
  • Lifetime achievement may be emphasized in some cases

Application Tips

Dos

  • Prepare works published at least 2 years ago
  • Enrich nomination materials (rationale and references)
  • Clearly indicate the work's artistic value and public publication record
  • Appeal with consideration for diversity in region, generation, gender, etc. (if applicable)

Don''ts

  • Do not submit past the deadline (September 15 annually)
  • Do not submit with insufficient references or rationale
  • Do not demonstrate artistic value solely with formal descriptions

From Judges

  • Judging emphasizes artistic value above all (not mere topicality)
  • Publication record and referenceable materials directly affect evaluation
  • Selection considers balance across gender, region, generation, and worldview

Related Awards

  • Prešeren Fund Awards (Small Prešeren Awards)
  • List of Prešeren laureates
  • Prešeren Day events

Official Resources

https://web.archive.org/web/20110717173035/http://www.mk.gov.si/en/about_the_ministry/expert_committees_counsels_and_funds/preseren_fund/

Past Winners

Edition 0 (1961)
No winner
Edition 1 (1947)
No winner