The Arnhem Culture Prize goes this year to Amir Zaza. The award ceremony took place during Uitnacht at Theater Oostpool by Alderman for Culture Cathelijne Bouwkamp. Amir Zaza wins the prize money of €10,000.
Cathelijne Bouwkamp: “Arnhem breathes culture and nowhere do you feel that better than during Uitnacht. On this evening we celebrate creativity in our city. And that is very much needed. Because culture is not a luxury, culture is a necessity. Especially in times of polarization we need our artists to build bridges. That makes this prize so important. With this we show that Arnhem remains fertile ground for our makers. I am very proud of winner Amir Zaza and all other makers Arnhem knows.”
Four hundred submissions, three nominees, one winner
Amir Zaza is a talented filmmaker who fled from Syria to the Netherlands at the age of seven. With the short film Close Your Eyes Hind he was awarded the Golden Calf for Best Short Film. Through film he makes urgent global themes tangible.
More than 400 Arnhem residents nominated a candidate for the Arnhem Culture Prize this year. From this, the jury ultimately chose 3 nominees. Besides Amir Zaza, The Hub Arnhem and Niels van Beuningen were also nominated.
Culture Prize Arnhem
The Arnhem Culture Prize is an incentive award for talented makers and cultural initiatives from Arnhem. The prize is awarded every year during Uitnacht to an artist, group or project that makes an important contribution to the cultural sector in the city. Besides the recognition, the winner also receives a cash prize. This year that is €10,000. This money can be used to further grow in artistic development. The prize is made available by the municipality of Arnhem.