Luxembourg musicians and visual artists can now hope to see their works be recognised by the ministry of culture too.  Maison Moderne Archives

Luxembourg musicians and visual artists can now hope to see their works be recognised by the ministry of culture too.  Maison Moderne Archives

Luxembourg artists and musicians can look forward to new prizes, as culture minister Sam Tanson on 19 September presented the newly created Lëtzebuerger Konschtpräis and Lëtzebuerger Musekspräisser.

These national awards are meant to “complete the ‘system of awarding prizes for cultural and artistic creations’ the national culture development plan (Kulturentwécklungsplang 2018-2028) promised.

“The cultural prizes are special in that they are more than just a recognition of the work and talent of their winners. They are also a way of valuing an entire creative sector," said culture minister in a statement. "Through these prizes, we aim to highlight not only individual creators but also Luxembourg's creative sector as a whole.”

First prizes to be awarded in November 2022

Worth €10,000, the first of the two is a biennial art prize rewarding an artist for their entire work, career and contribution to the Luxembourg art scene. Eligible for the Lëtzebuerger Konschtpräis are artists in the visual arts domain who are of Luxembourgish nationality and work in the grand duchy. However, Luxembourg artists with a strong anchoring in the local scene are also considered.

This prize will be handed out for the first time on 11 November after deliberation by a jury made up of art historians and industry experts.

The Musekspräisser (‘music awards’) in turn will be separated into six different categories for a total budget of €25,000. One €10,000 award, the national music award, (‘Prix national de la musique’) will be akin to a lifetime award for any artist active in Luxembourg’s music scene. The “Nowuestalent” prize will hand €2,500 to young talents on the right path, while €3,500 will be given to an artist whose work--as the name of the category “Op der Bün” (‘on stage’) indicates--has particularly shone in the three years prior to the award.

People working behind the scene, like sound engineers, light technicians, managers, editors or admins, will also be rewarded with a €3,500 check in the “Hannert der Bün” (“behind the scenes’) category. Hobby musicians who have shown dedication for the craft in their free time could win €2,500 if chosen, while the “Museksvermëttlung” award will give €3,000 to outstanding projects, people or teams in music outreach and audience development.

This series of music awards will be handed out every three years, with the first shortlist set to be published by 21 November.