Awards and prizes:
Hungary has traditionally had a complex system of state awards and scholarships. The basic structure dates back to the communist regime; in addition to the existing list, each minister adds at least one new award. On the latest 15 March and 20 August national holidays 177 awards were handed over to people from the cultural sector in 25 categories. The list is topped by the Kossuth Grand Prize, in 2024 awarded to the composer Péter Eötvös. Besides the recipients of the Cross of Merit, the Excellent Artist and the Worthy Artist prizes, 57 artists were awarded with the 17 prizes that bear the name of a renowned Hungarian artist: e.g., the Liszt Prize is given to 8 musicians each year.
Monetary prizes and various lifetime advantages accompany these awards. The Kossuth Prize brings a financial bonus that is equivalent to half a months’ average income (as stipulated by the law). The five artists that are awarded the title of Excellent Artist each year, and the ten Worthy Artists are rewarded with half and one third of the amount of the Kossuth Prize respectively. All these awards are tax free.
On a higher level, the top national distinctions are the Order of St. Stephen (originally founded by Maria Theresa in 1764) as well as the Corvin Chain. This latter is held by twelve persons at a time, about half of whom are usually from culture. This award was originally founded by Admiral Horthy in 1930, renewed by the first Orbán-government (1998-2002), and again in 2012.
Twelve people can enjoy the benefits of the title the Actor (or Actress, the Hungarian language does not use gender) of the Nation at one time. Upon this model, the amended Film Law introduced the title Film Artist of the Nation that is given upon the decision of the government to selected artists who had formerly received the Kossuth Prize. Only 15 artists over the age of 65 can have this title at a time. It is at the discretion of the government to decide which of those artists that used to receive an annual allowance as holders of the title called Master of Hungarian Moving Pictures established by the Motion Picture Public Foundation, will be entitled to the new award.
Holders of all the above recognitions can be promoted to the Artist of the Nation award, administered by MMA, the Hungarian Academy of Arts. At any one time 70 people can bear this title, in ten categories. Over their 65th birthday – in the case of dance and circus art the 50th – they receive life annuity, the amount of which is 23 times the current minimum amount of the old-age pension, currently HUF 655 500.
Grants and scholarships:
The system of three-year state grants has been developing and expanding since 1955. Scholarships are available for altogether 100 people in various art fields. Recipients of these grants get 200 thousand forint a month (cca €500).
From 2020, the Petőfi Literary Museum awards the Térey Grant to 30 writers of 35-65 years of age, for up to 5 years, for a monthly grant of around the average salary in the country.
These schemes have been crowned by the allowances that the members of MMA, and senior artists receive, as presented in chapter 4.1.
Artists and cultural operators can also apply for scholarships and grants abroad in the general schemes operated by the Hungarian Scholarship Board Office (Magyar Ösztöndíj Bizottság). Senior experts, artists and researchers may seek opportunities to study and work in various countries all over the world through the Hungarian National Eötvös Scholarship (Magyar Állami Eötvös Ösztöndíj) . There are also scholarships available to artists at the Collegium Hungaricum in Rome, a tradition that dates back to the 1930s.
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