Europa Nostra Award 2012

Each year, Europa Nostra and the European Union reward the best of cultural heritage achievements. Through the European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Awards, excellence and dedication by architects, craftsmen, volunteers, schools, local communities, heritage owners and media are celebrated. Through the power of their example they stimulate creativity and innovation.

The awards celebrate exemplary restorations and initiatives of the many facets of Europe’s cultural heritage in 4 categories, described below. Every year, up to six monetary awards of €10.000 each are awarded to the top laureates in the various categories.

Criteria for the assessment of entries include excellence in the work executed and preliminary research conducted, as well as respect for artistic, cultural and social value, setting, authenticity and integrity. Special attention will also be paid to sustainability, interpretation and presentation, educational work, funding and management, and social responsibility. Entries can be on a scale ranging from small to large, local to international, and should display a standard of work considered outstanding in a European context.

Category 1: CONSERVATION

Outstanding achievements in the conservation and enhancement of cultural heritage in the following areas:

• Single buildings or groups of buildings in rural or urban setting.
• Industrial and engineering structures and sites.
• Cultural landscapes: historic parks and gardens, larger areas of designed landscape, or areas of cultural, environmental ad/or agricultural significance.
• Archaeological sites, including underwater archaeology.
• Works of art and collections: collections of artistic and historic significance or old works of art.

Category 2: RESEARCH
Outstanding research which leads to tangible effects in the conservation and enhancement of cultural heritage in Europe in any of the above-mentioned Category 1 areas.

Category 3: DEDICATED SERVICE by INDIVIDUALS or ORGANISATIONS
Open to individuals or organisations whose contributions over a long period of time demonstrate excellence in the protection, conservation and enhancement of cultural heritage (relating to the above-mentioned Category 1 areas) in Europe. The contribution should be of a standard which would be considered outstanding in the European context.

Category 4: EDUCATION, TRAINING and AWARENESS-RAISING
Outstanding initiatives related to heritage education, training schemes in cultural heritage conservation, and programmes for raising awareness on cultural heritage.

Closing date for submission of entries: 1 October 2011 (date of sending)

Further Information:
Europa Nostra
Heritage Awards Coordinator
Elena Bianchi
eMail: eb@europanostra.org
Phone: +31 70 302 40 58
web: www.europanostra.org/apply-for-an-award-2012