Prešeren Award (Grand Prešeren Award)

ぷれしぇれんしょう

The highest public award in the arts field in Slovenia. In principle, awarded to 2 people annually.

ArtsLiteratureCulture

Established: 1946
Organizer: プレシェレン財団管理委員会（スロベニア文化省の管轄下）
Category: General Arts and Media Arts
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 field (formerly including science), awarded by the Prešeren Fund (Prešernov sklad). First awarded in 1947 based on a 1946 decree, since 1961 it has also been awarded for lifetime achievements. Eligibility requires, in principle, at least two years since the achievement was publicly presented, and generally only once per person. Since the 1991 legal amendment, a maximum of 2 highest awards per year are given. Simultaneously, smaller Prešeren Fund Awards (small Prešeren Awards) are awarded, with this award's monetary prize set at three times the small award (specific amounts vary). The selection process involves open call (nominations), candidate selection by four field committees, and final decision by secret ballot of the Prešeren Fund Management Board. The ceremony is conventionally held on the eve of Prešeren Day (France Prešeren's death anniversary).

Prize

Main Prize: Honor (commendation) and monetary reward. The Prešeren Award has three times the monetary amount of the Prešeren Fund Award (small award).

Commendation and honor at the award ceremony
Prešeren Fund Awards (small Prešeren Awards) held on the same day

Selection

Selection Process

Stage	Judges	Pass Rate	Announcement
Nomination (Open call)	Natural persons or legal entities may nominate candidates. Appropriate grounds and reference materials (evidence of achievements, reviews, performance records, etc.) must be submitted at nomination.	Out of approx. 100 annual proposals, about 8 total advance to Grand Award finalists (estimate) → approx. 8%	Open call starts February 10 annually, deadline September 15
Candidate selection by field committees	Prešeren Fund's 4 field committees (7 members each, appointed by management board) review and recommend candidates. Each proposes 2 Grand Award candidates and 6 small award candidates.	Committee recommendations yield approx. 8 Grand Award candidates and 24 small award candidates total (narrowing from proposals)	Candidates submitted to management board after committee review (autumn)
Final selection by management board (secret ballot)	Prešeren Fund Management Board (15 members). Members nominated by government, elected by National Assembly.	Requires 2/3 board approval. Multiple rounds of voting if necessary.	Final decision by board in November (secret ballot). Announcement preparations follow.
Announcement and award ceremony	—	—	Winners announced at ceremony (eve of Prešeren Day, around February 7)

Nomination (Open call)

Judges Natural persons or legal entities may nominate candidates. Appropriate grounds and reference materials (evidence of achievements, reviews, performance records, etc.) must be submitted at nomination.

Pass Rate Out of approx. 100 annual proposals, about 8 total advance to Grand Award finalists (estimate) → approx. 8%

Announcement Open call starts February 10 annually, deadline September 15

Candidate selection by field committees

Judges Prešeren Fund's 4 field committees (7 members each, appointed by management board) review and recommend candidates. Each proposes 2 Grand Award candidates and 6 small award candidates.

Pass Rate Committee recommendations yield approx. 8 Grand Award candidates and 24 small award candidates total (narrowing from proposals)

Announcement Candidates submitted to management board after committee review (autumn)

Final selection by management board (secret ballot)

Judges Prešeren Fund Management Board (15 members). Members nominated by government, elected by National Assembly.

Pass Rate Requires 2/3 board approval. Multiple rounds of voting if necessary.

Announcement Final decision by board in November (secret ballot). Announcement preparations follow.

Announcement and award ceremony

Judges —

Pass Rate —

Announcement Winners announced at ceremony (eve of Prešeren Day, around February 7)

Criteria

Artistic value of the work (most important)
At least 2 years since the work/achievement was publicly presented
Consider balance and diversity in gender, region, generation, worldview
In principle, only once per person
Group awards possible

Application Tips

Dos

Attach clear grounds (critiques, award history, performance/publication records, etc.) and sufficient reference materials when nominating
Confirm nominee's achievements have been public for at least 2 years
Organize candidate's achievements clearly, emphasizing key points of artistic value
Describe nomination reasons mindful of diversity in fields, generations, regions
For multiple evaluations/reviews, clearly indicate summaries and sources

Don''ts

Do not nominate achievements less than 2 years since publication
Do not submit simplistic nomination letters lacking sufficient supporting materials
Do not attempt inappropriate political pressure or intervention in selection process
Avoid excessive/duplicate nominations for the same person

From Judges

Primary selection criterion is artistic value of the work
Documented evidence (performance records, publications, critiques, etc.) supports evaluation
Candidates considered with balance in gender, region, generation
Final decision by board deliberation (secret ballot), so nomination materials crucial in review