Are you involved in a heritage project, either as an individual or as part of an organisation, that deserves Europe-wide recognition? The European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards 2026 are open for submissions! This is your chance to showcase your outstanding contributions to cultural heritage and compete for Europe’s most prestigious awards in this field.
The Awards recognise exceptional achievements in the protection, conservation, research and promotion of cultural heritage, covering a wide range of categories and project types – from tangible to intangible heritage.
Applications are invited within the following five categories:
The Awards were launched in 2002 by the European Commission and have been run by Europa Nostra ever since. The European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards are supported by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union.
Why submit your application? Winning an Award will bring:
– Benefits: Gain recognition at European level, greater (inter)national exposure, increased visitor numbers and/or potential follow-on funding;
– Monetary Prizes: Have the chance to receive a Grand Prix of €10,000, along with the Public Choice Award of an additional €10,000;
– Networking: Join a network of heritage professionals, experts, and enthusiasts across Europe.
This is a unique opportunity to showcase your work and share your achievements across Europe. For more information and to submit your application online, please note the deadline: 9 September 2025. Europa Nostra will also host webinars on how to prepare an application for the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards, on Friday, 23 May 2025, from 12:00 to 13:00, and on Monday, 30 June 2025, from 16:00 to 17:00 CET. Register here.
The webinar is free-of-charge but registration is compulsory.