The Princess of Asturias Foundation

39 nominations from 25 different countries are in the running for this award, the first of eight international awards that are bestowed each year by the Prince of Asturias Foundation, and which are now in their thirty-second year.

Jury meeting for the 2012 Prince of Asturias Award for the Arts. ©FPA

The meetings of the jury responsible for awarding the 2012 Prince of Asturias Award for the Arts, the first of eight international awards that will be bestowed by the Prince of Asturias Foundation, will be held on May 8^th and 9^th. The awards will be bestowed this year for the thirty-second time in their history.

According to the Statutes of the Foundation, the Prince of Asturias Awards aim “to reward the scientific, technical, cultural, social and humanistic work performed at an international level by individuals, institutions or groups of individuals or institutions”. As part of this spirit, the Prince of Asturias Award for the Arts shall be conferred on those “whose work in Cinematography, Theatre, Dance, Music, Photography, Painting, Sculpture, Architecture or any other form of artistic expression constitutes a significant contribution to Mankind’s culture heritage".

There are 39 nominations in the running for this Award from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Egypt, Estonia, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Rumania, Sweeden, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States and Spain.

The Award is endowed with fifty thousand Euros, a sculpture created and specially donated for the awards by Joan Miró, a diploma and an insignia.

The Jury, which is to meet at the Reconquista Hotel, will be made up of the following members:

Carlos Fitz-James Stuart Martínez de Irujo
José Luis Garci Muñoz
Guillermo García-Alcalde Fernández
Enrique González Macho
José Lladó Fernández-Urrutia
Emilio Marcos Vallaure
Hans Meinke Paege
Benigno Pendás García
Benedetta Tagliabue
Amelia Valcárcel Bernaldo de Quirós
Benjamin Weil
Miguel Zugaza Miranda
José Antonio Caicoya Cores (secretary)

Members of the juries will hold an initial meeting with the media at 12 noon on Tuesday 8^th in the "Salón de Consejos" of the hotel (on the first floor), immediately prior to being formally convened and starting their deliberations. The jury will then elect a president from amongst them. The Jury secretary will be appointed by the Foundation.

Their decision will be made public at 12 noon on Wednesday 9^th in the Salón Covadonga of the hotel (on the ground floor), and jury members will then be available for interviews.

The reading of the jury’s decision will be broadcast live for more than 150 countries via the main national and international radio and television channels. The signal will be openly transmitted via Hispasat satellite (America and Europe). In addition, there will be a live Internet broadcast at the Foundation's website.