The Prešeren Prize
Along with the Prešeren Prize, the Prešeren Fund Prize is the highest state recognition of artistic achievements in the Republic of Slovenia.The Prešeren Fund Prize is awarded to artists for important artistic achievements that represent an enrichment of the Slovene cultural heritage in the two years prior to the presentation. The relevant legislation determines the conferring of a maximum of six Prešeren Fund Prizes each year. As determined by the statute, the recipients of Prešeren Fund Prizes are selected by an administrative board and the prizes are presented during the official ceremony marking the annual Slovene cultural holiday, Prešeren Day. The conferring of the prizes assesses first-rate artistic creativity, establishing criteria for it and encouraging it.
Prizes were formerly also awarded for scientific work, with the scientific areas being specifically defined in 1956. In 1961, however, the prizes were divided into Prešeren Prizes and Prešeren Fund Prizes, and since then have only been conferred for artistic work. The exact number of prizes fluctuated until the acceptance of relevant legislation at the end of 1981, when it was limited to a maximum of three Prešeren Prizes and ten Prešeren Fund Prizes. At that time, the fund also lost legal subjectivity. With amendments to the legislation in 1991, the number of prizes was further reduced to a maximum of two Prešeren Prizes and six Prešeren Fund Prizes.
