Prince Claus Fund

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The Prince Claus Fund was established in 1996, named in honor of Prince Claus of the Netherlands. The fund is subsidized annually by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Fund has presented the international Prince Claus Awards annually since 1997. The awards honor individuals and organizations that reflect a progressive and contemporary approach to the fields of culture and development. Recipients are mainly located in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean region.

Honorees are determined by a jury of experts from fields relevant to its mission of culture and development.^[1]

The jury evaluates laureates based on the cultural and social impact of their work. The Prince Claus Fund interprets culture to encompass all kinds of artistic and intellectual disciplines, science, media and education. The awards are based on the laureates’ outstanding contributions and the quality of their work.^[1]

The Principal Award of € 100,000 is presented during a ceremony at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam in December every year. The additional awards of € 25,000 each are presented in the Dutch embassies in the countries where the recipients live in December and January.^[1]

Every year, the Fund publishes a book including the awards speech by one of the Honorary Chairmen, an extract of the lecture by a leading thinker, the jury's report and extensive discussions of the laureates' work by experts qualified in the laureates' fields.^[1]