The Estonian American National Council Announces Call for Nominees for the EANC Henrik Visnapuu Literature and Culture Award
The recipient of the EANC Henrik Visnapuu Award for Literature and Culture is announced every other year on January 2, the anniversary of the poet’s birth.
This prestigious award recognizes an outstanding work, research, or lifetime achievement.
This year, we invite nominations for two awards: one honoring a distinguished lifetime contribution and the other celebrating an exceptional cultural achievement by someone newer to their field.
The EANC Henrik Visnapuu award recognizes works on Estonian themes— published in Estonian or other languages—in the fields of literature, music, theater, art, or historical research. Eligible works must have been published or presented in the past two years (2023–2024) either abroad or in Estonia, with preference given to works by or about the Estonian diaspora and works that promote Estonian culture and history globally. Nominations can be based on a single work, a series of works, or a significant and impactful lifetime contribution.
The purpose of the award is to amplify Estonia’s global cultural presence while highlighting the Estonian American National Council’s (EANC/ERKÜ) role in preserving and promoting the Estonian language and culture internationally. For more information, visit www.estosite.org.
The Henrik Visnapuu Prize was originally established in the United States in 1952, and was named for the beloved Estonian poet best known for his romantic poetry and patriotic themes. The prize was discontinued in 2007 due to the departure of key organizers. In 2020, EANC revived the award as a broader cultural recognition, encompassing all areas of culture, not just literature.
EANC collaborates on the award with two Estonian partners: the Estonian Writers’ Union (www.ekl.ee) and the municipality of Luunja (Henrik Visnapuu’s birthplace, www.luunja.ee).
EANC funds not one but two awards, with a total prize fund of up to $6,000 USD. Each award is accompanied by a unique artwork commissioned from an Estonian artist and the soon-to-be released EANC Visnapuu Medal.
Each partner appoints one representative to the award jury. In 2025, the jury will comprise former EANC President Marju Rink-Abel (USA, Estonian American National Council), poet Jürgen Rooste (Estonian Writers’ Union), and Luunja Secondary School Director Toomas Liivamägi (the municipality of Luunja, Estonia).
The deadline for nominations is April 1, 2025. Nominations can be submitted by individuals or organizations from Estonia, the United States, or other countries.
Submissions should be sent to the Chair of the EANC Visnapuu Award Committee, Sirje Kiin, at sirjekiin@hotmail.com. The nomination form accompanies this release, and is also available online at the EANC website www.estosite.org or via email: erku@estosite.org .
The jury will select up to six nominees by October 1, 2025. The winners will be announced on January 2, 2026, with an award ceremony to follow in early 2026.
The first recipient of the revived EANC Visnapuu Award was author Elin Toona, in 2022. In 2024, the award honored literary scholar Tiina Kirss.
