The COVID 2020 Artistic Innovation award recognises an initiative or an innovative project by a Luxembourg professional artist, a collective or a cultural structure or association between 15 March and 15 December 2020 in light of the coronavirus pandemic and the restrictions it has imposed on society as a whole. 

With this award, the ministry of culture wants to honour the resilience and creativity of a cultural sector hit hard by repeated restrictions and closures, as minister Sam Tanson pointed out "with this award, we want to highlight not only the fantastic work done by the winners, but those of a whole sector. The past few months have certainly exposed the cultural sector’s vulnerability to a health crisis, but they have nevertheless also highlighted the solidarity and the incredible energy with which new ways of creating have been developed."

A pre-selection committee made up of officials from the ministry of culture submitted several proposals to the jury, composed of Olivier Frank (director of the Pierre Werner Institute), Simone Molitor (cultural journalist, Lëtzebuerger Journal) and Marc Thill (cultural journalist, Luxemburger Wort). The jury evaluated the proposals based on the criteria of quality and relevance, professionalism, impact and outreach, partnership approach, audience and type of audience reached.

Eventually, said jury rewarded one individual artist as well as three cultural structures or associations for their projects. 

Nora Wagner, was recognised for her exhibition “jamais peut-être” as a creative response to the pandemic, whereas the award for cultural structure or association went to the joint project between the Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg and the Kinneksbond cultural centre in Mamer for their collaboration and solidarity to create an artistic programme during the health crisis. Additionally the non-profit association Grand H also received the award for its project dubbed “Window Loving” initiated by Frédérique Buck in order to bring joy to those living in care homes during the pandemic.