The Lithuanian National Prize (Lithuanian: Nacionalinė kultūros ir meno premija), established in 1989, is an award granted for achievements in culture and the arts. It has been awarded annually in six categories since 2006 (between 1989 and 2006 there were nine categories). The prize is formally bestowed on February 16, when the decorations and diplomas are presented to the laureates at Presidential Palace, commemorating the anniversary of the 1918 Act of Independence of Lithuania.
The award honors significant recent achievements in cultural fields and works by artists or art collectives. The honorees may be citizens of Lithuania or members of the Lithuanian World Community. When the award was first established, works accomplished during the previous five years were considered; this period was extended to seven years in 2008. The candidacies are open each year until September 15, and the winners are announced on December 15. Each "Lithuanian National Prize" consists of a memorial sign, a diploma, and a monetary grant (circa 104,000 litas). A single person can only receive the National Prize once.
The candidates for the Prize are now nominated by professional associations and societies; before 2008 the nominations could be made by members of the public. The laureates are selected by a special committee.
As of May 2008 there were 156 laureates of the Prize.
Famous quotes containing the words national and/or prize:
“The return of the asymmetrical Saturday was one of those small events that were interior, local, almost civic and which, in tranquil lives and closed societies, create a sort of national bond and become the favorite theme of conversation, of jokes and of stories exaggerated with pleasure: it would have been a ready- made seed for a legendary cycle, had any of us leanings toward the epic.”
—Marcel Proust (1871–1922)
“What we have we prize not to the worth
Whiles we enjoy it, but being lacked and lost,
Why, then we rack the value, then we find
The virtue that possession would not show us
Whiles it was ours.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)