In the majority of artistic areas, a number of awards are granted and annual contests in various categories are organised in Slovakia. The activities are organised by professional artists’ associations, foundations, private sponsors, as well as by some governmental institutions or organisations administered by regional public administration (regions). Some of the awards are financial in nature. The best-known awards are:
- Dosky (awards for theatre arts);
- National Award for Design;
- Martin Benka Award (visual arts);
- Oskar ÄŒepan Award (contest for visual arts up to 35 years of age);
- Emil Belluš Award (for life achievement in the area of architecture);
- Dušan JurkoviÄ Award (contemporary architecture);
- Cezar (annual awards for architecture);
- Tatrabanka Award for Arts;
- Literary Fund Annual Awards;
- Anasoft Litera (award for Slovak literature);
- Ján Hollý Award (for artistic translation);
- Sun in Net (for audiovisual production); and
- Aurel (annual awards for popular music and jazz).
The Art Funds (see chapter 7.2.2) grant scholarships to artists for the preparation and production of new artistic or scientific works or translations.
The awards and contests are also part of several culture events organised in Slovakia (see chapter 1.4.3).
Some non-profit organisations provide grants for artistic production, and organise training and educational programmes, and other events. One of the most important non-profit organisations in the area of arts is the Centre for Contemporary Arts Foundation (former Soros Centre for Contemporary Arts) that has been active since 1993. Besides its support activities (grant schemes), some of its most important activities include organising training and workshops for artists and culture managers, and exhibition activities, publication activities and an annual auction of contemporary Slovak visual arts.
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