The National Artist Prize is one of the greatest awards artists can receive on the anniversary of the establishment of the Hungarian Academy of Arts to honor their exceptional work.
The National Artist Prize Committee is composed of 11 Kossuth prize-winning artists. Two members of the Committee are appointed by the culture minister, while the other eight members by the President of the Committee, for a maximum of three years.
The prize is awarded to artists from the following areas: theater, literature, music, fine arts, cinematography, art, dance, applied arts, photography, folk art and circus art. The committee pays special attention to award at least one artist from each discipline.
The awarded artists receive not only the prize but an annuity that is twenty-three times higher than the minimum amount of the current pension.
The Hungarian Academy of Arts also awards artists with the title “National Artist”. Only Kossuth prize-winning artists over 65 years can receive such title. In the case of dance and circus artists, the age limit is 50 years. At the same time, only 70 artists can carry the “National Artist” title.
In 2018, the following artists were awarded the National Artist Prize:
- Ilona Budai, folk singer
- György Fekete, interior architect, honorary president of the Hungarian Academy of Arts (MMA)
- Miklós Kampis, architect
- László Kunkovács, photographer, ethnographer
- László Lator, poet, translator, essayist
- István Orosz, graphic artist
- Ferenc Rofusz, animation director