The Minister of Culture, following a visit to the AmadoraBD festival, announced the establishment of a prize aimed at recognizing and valuing the art form of comics. She emphasized that this initiative would not be an isolated effort.
“While Portugal hosts several events, the State, through the Ministry of Culture, is committed to supporting areas in need of greater recognition and promotion. Additionally, comics are notably popular among younger audiences,” she remarked.
The prize will be divided into three categories: a career achievement award for significant contributions to the field of comics, an award for a work published in the year preceding the contest, and a prize for innovation in comics.
Margarida Balseiro Lopes indicated that the regulations would be published in the coming weeks, with applications starting in early 2026. The winners are expected to be announced on October 18, coinciding with the National Day of Portuguese Comics, which will be observed starting in 2024.
The prize falls under the purview of the Directorate-General for Books, Archives and Libraries (DGLAB). The minister reiterated that this is not an isolated initiative, noting the ongoing applications for annual literary creation grants, which encompass comics as well as children’s and young adult literature.
Margarida Balseiro Lopes further noted that the DGLAB and the Directorate-General for the Arts are collaborating on various initiatives to promote and value comics.
Efforts include training and empowering individuals working in the public library network and establishing more comic libraries like the one in Amadora, as there are still many municipalities without such facilities.
