After three years of training culture journalists from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Macedonia and Kosovo, the BICCED project has created a network of more than 30 culture journalists. The Culture Watch Award is a further step in strengthening media coverage of culture policy and culture management in the region.

The Culture Watch Award will be granted to three successful candidates who produce a serious, complex, investigative article on any culture policy issue.

Total prize money is 3,700 Swiss Franks (CHF) less applicable taxes under the law in Bosnia and Herzegovina; this will be divided among the three winners, as follows:

1. first prize: 2,000 CHF*
2. second prize: 1,200 CHF
3. third prize: 500 CHF

* the jury may decide not to award a first prize and instead allocate more second or third prizes depending on the quality of submitted articles.

Fill in the application form now!

AWARD RULES

 1. ELIGIBILITY

 1.1. Who can participate?

Journalists from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia and Serbia may apply by submitting one serious, complex, investigative article on any culture policy issue with a national or regional focus.

1.2 Eligible material

Articles published from 1^st September 2011 to 31^st August 2012 are eligible to compete for the award. All articles that are published outside of this date range will not enter competition.

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

1.3 Evaluation criteria

Applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

Evaluation Grid	Maximum score
Quality of the article (serious, complex, investigative) Relevance (topic of wider relevant interest in the field of culture policy, including relevant interview, data sources) Originality (highlighting issue/s presented for the first time, or never analysed before)	100 60 20   20
Maximum total score	100

 

1.4 Evaluation team

Applications will be evaluated by an Evaluation Board consisting of seven (7) members of the Advisory Board of the BICCED project, one (1) internationally awarded and recognised expert in journalism and six (6) experts in the field of culture, coming from the five (5) project countries.

2. APPLICATION PROCESS

2.1 Deadline

Application must be submitted online no later than 30^th September 2012 (at 23:59 hours)

2.3 Number of applications

Multiple applications by individuals and joint applications by more than one individual are not permitted. One author can apply with only one piece.

3. TIME FRAME

The deadline for submission of applications is 30^th September 2012 (23:59 hours).

The period 01/10/2012 – 14/11/2012 will be dedicated to the evaluation of applications.

Short-listed candidates (the first five) will be announced on 15^th November 2012.

The winners will be announced at an award ceremony to be held in the second half of November 2012.

4. NOTIFICATION OF SHORT LISTED STORIES

Shortlisted candidates will be informed by email about the results of the evaluation, on 15^th November 2012.

 Information and coordination

See articles produced under the BICCED project:

http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/tag-group-topics/culture-watch

Information on SCP: http://www.scp-ba.net/

Information on BIRN:  www.birn.eu.com

Information on SEECult.org:http://www.seecult.org/

For all information and questions about the Culture Watch Award please send an email to CWAward@birn.eu.com

5. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 5.1 Can a Culture Watch journalist apply?

Yes, but not with an article produced within the BICCED programme, and BIRN’s editorial support. Only independently produced articles will be considered.

5.2 My article was published in the local language; how do I apply?

You need to translate the article into English (use a qualified translator in order to maintain the quality of the original) and submit the translation along with the rest of the required documents. Please note that all documents need to be submitted in English, except for the original article (if produced in the local language) and copies of republications in local languages.

5.3 My article was printed in a local newspaper; should I submit the original article as it appeared in print?

You do not need to submit the original printed article; a scan will suffice. Should the evaluation board require you to submit the original printed article it will be returned to you after review.

5.4 Do I have to submit all the required documents (e.g. the list of republications)?

The more additional documents you submit, the easier it will be to acquire a comprehensive overview of your article and its impact. You are encouraged to submit all of the listed documents, as every submited document will be considered in the evaluation process.

5.5 How do I prove that my article was used on air or published online?

For submissions of articles published online or broadcast in audio or video media, you need to obtain a letter from your editor confirming that the article was published or broadcast.

As an additional proof of publication or broadcast, you are encouraged to submit the radio or television synopsis for the programme in which it appeared, signed by a responsible member of staff. A screen shot and/or a link to your article on the web will also be accepted as proof of publication or broadcast.

For print media, you may send the scanned article from the media that published it.

You are encouraged to submit all of the listed documents, as every submited document will be considered in the evaluation process.