Literary Awards

Kilograms of Culture is a public media award in the field of culture, which supports the active participation of public media in cultural life of Latvia. The different awards are given by Latvian Television and Latvian Radio since 2012. The jury nominates winners in ten categories, of which literature is one, while the finalists are chosen by the audience and listeners in three votes taking place in spring, autumn and winter.

The Baltvilka Balva was established in 2005 and is presented by the Latvian Council for Children and Youth Literature, which annually selects different members for the prize jury. It honors special achievements in children’s literature. The winners receive a prize created by the artist Inese Brant and a cash prize, as well as the opportunity to live and work for one month at the International House of Writers and Translators.

The Dzintars Sodums balva is awarded in memory of the outstanding Latvian writer and translator Dzintars Sodums to a Latvian writer for innovation in poetry, prose, or drama, or to a translator for translating literature into Latvian. The prize is endowed with around 4300 EUR and honors innovation in Latvian literature and translation.

The Annual Latvian Literature Award (LALIGABA) is the most significant literature event of the year in Latvia. It ensures professional evaluation of literary works and recognition of authors for the most outstanding works published in Latvian in the previous year. The winners of the awards in each category receive cash prizes, as well as a symbol of the award, the LALIGABA lamp.

Since 2010, Liepaja Culture Board has been organizing the presentation of the Krasta laudis award. It is an annual competition in which the best Latvian literary works are honored. The award is traditionally presented in honor of Egons Līvs, a Latvian writer and screenwriter. The Krasta laudis memorial award is awarded in two categories for the best work of original prose in Latvian and for the best literary work by school youth.