Submit Nominations for 2021 European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards

Deadline: 1 October 2020

The European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards scheme was launched in 2002 by the European Commission and is supported by the Creative Europe Programme.

• Conservation: Outstanding achievements in the conservation, enhancement and adaptation to new uses of cultural heritage.
  • The submitted projects should have involved outstanding restoration or conservation of a structure or site, its adaptation to new or existing uses, building additions or alterations, or new design in conservation areas.
  • The building / site / work(s) of art must be accessible to the public. Buildings or sites that are regularly used by large numbers of people, for instance schools or office premises, are considered accessible. Private buildings or sites that are regularly open to visitors are also considered accessible.
  • The submitted projects may include an interpretative display for cultural or educational purposes.
  • Completed phases of large-scale projects are eligible. Entrants should state in the description how the phase relates to the project as a whole, and indicate the overall project’s expected completion date.
  • The projects must have been completed within the past three years: September 2017 – September 2020
• Research: Outstanding research, digitisation and knowledge transfer projects which lead to tangible effects for the safeguard and enhancement of cultural heritage in Europe.
  • The following projects can be submitted: studies or scientific publications on results of research, applied research and/or pilots, as well as digitisation projects.
  • The aim of the submitted projects should be to develop innovative methodologies, techniques, models and tools leading to the increase of knowledge and excellence with regard to the safeguard and/or the enhancement of cultural heritage.
  • The submitted projects must have been completed within the past three years: September 2017 – September 2020.
• Dedicated Service to Heritage: Open to individuals or organisations whose commitment over a long period of time (minimum 10 years) demonstrates a high degree of dedication and civic engagement coupled with excellence in the safeguard and enhancement of cultural heritage in Europe, which exceeds normal expectations in the given context.
  • Entries must be nominated by a third party.
  • Nominations may not be submitted by a family member of a nominated individual or by a member or employee of a nominated organisation.
  • Nominated organisations can be public or private legal entities.
  • The achievement should be of a standard which would be considered outstanding in the given context and on a wider European.
  • Proven European dimension or impact of the outstanding achievement will be considered an asset.
• Education, Training and Awareness-raising: Outstanding initiatives related to education, training and awareness-raising related to cultural heritage with the aim of fostering capacity-building and local support, building a sense of place and identity and stimulating citizens engagement and ownership. The submitted initiatives should be:
  • Exemplary and sustainable
  • Innovative and creative
  • Interactive and participatory
  • Sufficiently advanced to have led to tangible results: ongoing or future activities must be in evidence
  • Reaching a large audience
  • Promoting social inclusion, intercultural and intergenerational dialogue, as well as active community engagement
  • Serving as an inspiration elsewhere in Europe and beyond

• Archaeological sites, including underwater archaeology
• Architectural heritage: single buildings or groups of buildings in a rural or urban setting
• Building additions or alterations, or new building projects within historic areas in urban and rural settings
• Cultural landscapes, including historic urban environments or townscapes, city or town squares and streetscapes, historic parks and gardens, larger areas of designed landscape or of cultural, environmental and/or agricultural significance
• Industrial and engineering heritage structures and sites
• Intangible heritage
• Moveable heritage: collections or single works of art or objects of historic significance
• Religious heritage sites

• Entries for the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards may be submitted from all countries that take part in the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union.
• Entries from the remaining European countries are eligible for the Europa Nostra Awards: Andorra, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Faroe Islands, Israel, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino, Turkey, Russia and Switzerland.
• All entrants should make sure to use the correct form when applying.
• All entrants are also eligible for the ILUCIDARE Special Prizes.
• Entries may be submitted by anyone closely connected to the entry, as long as they have included the consent from the owner of the heritage site or collection in the submission (for category Conservation), from the author or owner of the study or project (for category Research and category Education, Training and Awareness-raising), or from the nominee (for category Dedicated Service).
• Entries may be re-submitted once, with the necessary additional documentation.
• Entries that have previously received a Special Mention of the Jury may not re-apply.