Villach Culture Prize

Stone, metal, people occupy Michael Kos

Michael Kos receives the Villach Culture Prize in December.(Bild: ELISABETH NEUMANN)

Painters, graphic artists, sculptors, musicians, dancers, theater makers, architects, philosophers and the actress Heidelinde Weis have all received it, and in December it will be awarded to Michael Kos: the Villach Culture Prize.

He is a visual artist who enjoys working with stone, paper and metal; he is a sculptor, graphic artist, photographer, writer and curator. And now Villach-born Michael Kos (60) has been awarded the City of Villach Culture Prize for his wide-ranging artistic work.

Michael Kos, born in Villach in 1963, attended the University of Applied Arts in Vienna from 1986 to 1991 (studying visual media design with Peter Weibel).(Bild: ELISABETH NEUMANN)

"In all his works, he makes reference to socio-political issues," says Deputy Mayor Gerda Sandriesser, Head of Cultural Affairs.

To date, Kos has received the annual literary scholarship from the province of Carinthia, the Hans Weigel literary scholarship from the province of Lower Austria and was honored with the recognition prize for literature from the province of Lower Austria. Now he has been awarded the Cultural Prize of the City of Villach. The award ceremony will be held in December.

Previous prize winners

2023	Guido Markowitz (dance)
2022	Regina Hübner (visual arts)
2021	Simone Schönett (Literature)
2020	Alpen Adria Choir (Music)
2019	neuebuehne Villach (theater)
2018	Angelika Kaufmann (illustrator)
2017	Mag.a Lisa Huber (visual arts)
2016	Association Remember
2015	Walter Auer (Music)
2014	Colonel Professor Sigismund Seidl (music)
2013	Dr. Maria Luise Caputo-Mayr (Literature)
2012	Heinz Peter Maya (posthumous/visual arts) - deceased
2011	Univ.-Prof.in Mag.a art. Barbara Putz-Plecko (Fine Arts)
2010	Professor Dr. Nikolaus Fheodoroff (Music) - deceased
2009	Carinthian Consensus Group
2008	Martin Traxl (Journalism)
2007	Dr. Irmgard Bohunovsky-Bärnthaler (Fine Arts)
2006	Gerd Schuller (Music)
2004	Hans Staudacher (Fine Arts) - deceased
2003	Valentin Oman (Fine Arts)
2002	Dipl.-Ing. Arch. Gernot Kulterer (Architecture)
2001	Walter Dick (Music) - deceased
2000	Heidelinde Weis (acting) - deceased
1999	Cornelius Kolig (Fine Arts) - deceased
1998	Dr. Konrad Paul Liessmann (Literature)
1997	Drauphilharmonie (former Villach Symphony Orchestra) (Music)
1996	Uli Scherer (music) - deceased
1995	Prof. Bruno Gironcoli (Fine Arts) - deceased
1994	Dr. Heinz Pototschnig (Literature) - deceased
1993	Michael M. Kofler (Music)
1992	Dr. Konrad Koller (Fine Arts) - deceased
1991	Werner Kofler (Literature) - deceased
1990	Dr. Alfred Meschnigg (Theatre)
1989	Dr. Gerda Fröhlich (Music)
1988	Fritz Sitte (Journalism) - deceased
1987	Villach a cappella choir (music)
1986	Prof. Franz Stimpfl (Literature) - deceased
1985	Prof. Hans Bischoffshausen (Fine Arts)- deceased

The Villach Culture Prize, which has been awarded since 1985, has already been awarded to the Villach A cappella Choir, philosopher Konrad Paul Liessmann and the Carinthian Consensus Group, among others.