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Cultural Promotion Award of the Oberbergischer Kreis
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Culture Promotion Award 2026:
Application period from 15.06. to 31.10.2026.
Since 2001, the Oberbergischer Kreis has honoured outstanding contributions to cultural life with the Culture Promotion Award.
Endowed with 2,500 euros, the award puts outstanding artistic achievements in the public spotlight every two years. The sum can be shared among up to three prize winners. In addition to the monetary amount, each recipient also receives an artistically designed prize.
Whether the artist is already well known in the Oberberg cultural scene or is still working "in obscurity," both the independent cultural scene and not-yet-established creative artists are supported. The only requirement for participation is a close connection to the Oberbergischer Kreis. Artists may apply themselves or be nominated.
An awarding committee decides on the prize winners. The awarding committee comprises:
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the Landrat (district administrator) as chair,
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the district administration's culture officer,
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the head of the district administration's Office for Culture and Museums,
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the chairperson and deputy chairperson of the Committee for Culture and Continuing Education,
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and, for each parliamentary group of the district council, one further member of the Committee for Culture and Continuing Education.
Previous prize winners:
Announced without category restriction.
Awarded to three equally ranked prize winners:
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Open-air theatre project “We Are Faust!”, ensemble from the Oberbergischer Kreis and Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis
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Laia Genc (jazz composer and pianist Laia Genc) from Lindlar
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Ute Hölscher (sculptor) from Bergneustadt
Announced in the categories Visual Arts, Poetry and Critical Pop Music.
Main prize:
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Manuele Klein (visual artist) from Engelskirchen
Second equally ranked prize:
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Tily (band) from Gummersbach
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Kiane L'Azin (author) from Lindlar
Announced in the categories Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Music, Literature and Media Art - limited to artists aged 18 to 30.
One main prize winner:
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Joon Laukamp (violinist, arranger, composer and educator) from Engelskirchen
€2,500
Announced in the categories of literature and media art.
First prize:
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Lucy Scharenberg (children's book author) from Marienheide
€1,000
Second prize:
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Melanie Raabe (fiction) from Wiehl
€750
Third prize:
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Werner Kubny (documentary film art) from Lindlar
€750
Announced in the category of performing arts.
First prize:
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WKTheater Waldbröl (theatre) from Waldbröl
€1,000
Equally ranked second prizes:
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Ursula Güdelhöfer and Dieter Baum (puppet theatre in the museum) from Engelskirchen and Reichshof
€750 -
Thomas Knura (actor) from Waldbröl
€750
Announced in the category of music.
First prize:
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Stefan Heidtmann (jazz) from Bergneustadt
€1,000
Equally ranked second prizes:
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Saxophone duo Miriam Kötter and Lukas Stappenbeck (classical) from Wipperfürth
€750 -
Punk band E.O.B. Ejakulat Oberberg (punk) from Reichshof
€750
Announced without category restriction.
First prize:
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Peter Hehner (Visual Arts)
€1,000
Second prize:
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Axel Krieger (Performing Arts)
€750
Third prize:
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Julia Prejmerean-Aston (Visual Arts)
€750
Announced in the category Art in Public Space.
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A main prize winner as a sponsored artist:
Anemone Buhl (sculptures in public space) from Marienheide
Announced in the categories of visual arts and media art.
First prize:
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Peter Leidig (Visual Arts)
€2,000
Second prize:
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David Uessem (Visual Arts)
€500
Announced without restriction to a category.
Three equally ranked prize winners
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Ragna Sichelschmidt (painting) from Engelskirchen
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Gregor Vidovic (music) from Wiehl
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Roman and Julian Wasserfuhr (music) from Hückeswagen
Announced in the categories Media Art, Performing Arts, Literature.
First prize:
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Raimund Binder Schauspielstudio Oberberg (theatre) from Wiehl
Second prize:
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Dirk Adolphs (media art) from Gummersbach
Announced in the categories Visual Arts and Music.
Three equally ranked prize winners:
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Elfriede Eckes (painting) from Waldbröl
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Simone Francesco Trio (music) from Lindlar
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voices-project (music) from Bergneustadt
Announced without restriction to a category.
Three equally ranked prize winners:
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"Yoganauten" - four artists (theatre/literature/painting) from Engelskirchen
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Joachim Kottman Musical Project Oberberg (music) from Bergneustadt
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Alina Zielke (music) from Reichshof
