Luxembourg's Ministry of Culture has announced that behind-the-scenes preparations have begun for the Lëtzebuerger Theaterpräisser and the Lëtzebuerger Danzpräis, which the ministry will award for the first time in a joint ceremony on 17 September 2021.
Lëtzebuerger Theaterpräisser
The creation of the Lëtzebuerger Theaterpräisser (Luxembourg theatre awards) has long been requested by the sector, particularly the Theater Federatioun, which pleaded for an enhancement of theatre professions through such public recognition. The awards correspond to recommendation 21 of the cultural development plan (Kulturentwécklungsplang - KEP) 2018-2028, i.e. to “establish a system of awarding prizes highlighting cultural and artistic creations”. The creation of the Lëtzebuerger Theaterpräisser in four categories was announced in September 2020 at a press conference by the Theater Federatioun and was confirmed at the end of April this year as part of the parliamentary orientation debate on the implementation of the KEP.
The award categories are:
- national prize for a complete work (endowed with €10,000)
- young hope prize (€3,500)
- prize for the best onstage creation (acting, staging, text; €4,500)
- prize for the best backstage creation (scenography, costumes, lighting, make-up, hairstyle; €4,500).
The choice of the winners for these biannual prizes is organised in collaboration with the Theater Federatioun and covers the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons. A jury of five people will draw up a shortlist of the individuals and productions selected; this will be published during the "Assises sectorielles du théâtre", which will take place on 28 June 2021 at the Escher Theater. This jury has just started its selection work at the Ministry of Culture. The jury members, appointed by the Minister of Culture, are Vesna Andonovic (critic), Nickel Bösenberg (actor), Josée Hansen (responsible for literature and theatre at the Ministry of Culture), Claude Mangen (President of the Theater Federatioun) and Sarah Rock (playwright). Pablo Chimienti of the Theater Federatioun is in charge of the secretariat.
The awards ceremony will take place on 17 September 2021, at the same time as the sixth edition of the Lëtzebuerger Danzpräis.
Lëtzebuerger Danzpräis
Since 2011, the Ministry of Culture has awarded a biannual Luxembourg dance prize with the aim of rewarding the artistic merit of a choreographer or dancer in the field of choreographic art. For its 2021 edition, the Lëtzebuerger Danzpräis, the organisation of which is supported by the Luxembourg choreographic creation centre TROIS C-L, is endowed with €10,000.
The prize is aimed at a choreographer or dancer of Luxembourg nationality, residing in the Grand Duchy or having a strong cultural ties to the Luxembourg choreographic environment, who is recognised nationally and who is particularly distinguished in his / her field for at least five years.
The winner is appointed by a selection jury, made up of five members appointed by the Minister of Culture among experts in dance and choreographic art. The jury for this edition is made up of Jill Crovisier (winner of the Lëtzebuerger Danzpräis 2019), Anouk Wies (responsible for the cultural programming of the Cercle-Cité), Marie-Laure Rolland (independent journalist), Maxime Bender (director of the Trifolion Echternach) and Raymond Weber (former national and international culture official). The secretariat of the jury is provided by an employee of the Ministry of Culture.
