From the Ayacucho Hall of Miraflores Palace, the president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro Moros, presented the 2023-2024 National Culture Award, as well as honorable mentions in its different categories, to recognize the legacy and works of those who enrich the cultural heritage of Venezuelans, with more than 20 years of experience.
The head of state grants recognition to each of these artists with the aim of promoting recognition by the State and Venezuelan society to those who are part of cultural experiences.
Below are the winners of the awards in their different categories:
Popular Culture:
Rafael Enrique Salazar Romero: For his long career as a researcher, musicologist, composer and cultural promoter.
Literature:
Antonio Trujillo: For his works, which connect with the feelings and values of the Venezuelan people and serve as a beacon for current and future generations.
Humanities:
Alí Enrique López Bohórquez: For his contribution and contribution for more than 50 years in teaching, education, research and historical dissemination.
Music:
José Antonio «Toñito» Naranjo: For his extensive career as a performer and his work in the training of generations of Venezuelan flutists, and his great contribution to Venezuelan culture.
Circus arts:
Darwin «Nicky» García: For his career and contribution to Venezuelan culture, in addition to the training of different generations of circus artists for Venezuela and the world.
Traditional knowledge:
Giancarla Brancaleón: For her contribution and conservation, in favor of the tradition of the San Juan horses, in Ciudad Bolívar.
Julieta Hernández (post mortem): For the immortal sowing of smiles and awareness, through circus arts, poetry and love.
Crafts:
Fidelina Manzo: For her extraordinary career in the artisan world, in addition to her contribution to the process of research, curation, organization and training of new generations of artisans.
Olga Reyes (post mortem): For her career and representation of the indigenous woman potter.
Dance:
Flor Auristela «Poy» Márquez Ugueto: For her national and international career as a performer, creator, teacher and manager of contemporary dance.
Fanny Montiel (post mortem): For her extensive career as a performer and teacher of classical dance.
Theater:
Guillermo José Díaz Mejías (Yuma): For his long career, commitment and ethics in the theatrical profession.
Visual arts:
Joel Pacheco: For a long career in which he has demonstrated a sustained and notable development in his artistic work.
Architecture:
Domingo Acosta González: For his career and vision of a sustainable and environmentally responsible architecture.
Photography:
Joel Alberto Ochoa: For his work of dissemination and artistic expression in the photographic fact on the cultural and ethnic diversity of the Venezuelan people, emphasizing the value of women and indigenous peoples.
Cinema:
Jorge Jacko: For his extensive career leading the laboratory and post-production services of Venezuelan cinema for more than six decades.
Nancy de Miranda (post mortem): For her invaluable service as a historian and disseminator of Venezuelan cinema.
Honorable Mention Artists:
Elpidio Bullón (leader of the Burriquitas of Venezuela, post mortem)
Pedro GUARAÑA Riera (popular cultist, post mortem)
Nohelí POCATERRA (reference of the indigenous cultures of Venezuela)
José Marcial Ramos Guédez (historian)
Cristóbal Jiménez (musician)
Daniel Enrique Gil Rosado (musician)
Henry Martínez (musician)
Hernán Marín (musician)
Eduardo Martínez (musician, Los Guaraguao)
Jesús Cordero (musician, Los Guaraguao)
José «CHACHATA» Guerra (musician, Los Guaraguao)
Eleazar Molina Molina (poet “Gonzalo Fragui”)
Enrique Hernández D’Jesús (poet)
José Miguel Méndez Crespo (young poet with visual disabilities)
Pedro Durán (theater, film and TV actor)
María Yolanda Medina (artisan)
Edgar Álvarez Estrada (painter)
Alexis Mujica (circus master)
Carlos Bolívar (filmmaker)
Blanca Sánchez (theater performer)
Artistic Glories:
As for the Artistic Glories Award, created by the Law for the Protection of Cultural Workers, there are the following personalities who have contributed to the formation, cultural, identity and social development of the nation:
Mario Díaz (musician, joropo mirandino)
Omaira Gutiérrez (artisan from Zulia state)
Ivo Augusto Díaz Barroso
Carlos Piñero (salsa)
José Cheo Linares (salsa)
Biella Da Costa (musician)
Oscar Jesús Colina (musician, pop)
Dilia Waikarán (actress)
Zoraya Sanz (actress)
Jesús Sevillano (musician)
Cecilia Todd (musician)
Lilia Vera (musician)
Zhandra Rodríguez (dancer)
José Montecano (musician)
José Antonio Dávila (painter)
Antonia Azuaje (doll maker, painter)
Jorge Arteaga (painter)
Perucho Aguirre (musician)
Teatro Negro de Barlovento
Simón Bolívar youth and children’s choir and orchestra system.
Los TresTristesTigres
Los Cañoneros
Parranda Group “La Flor de Cojedes”.
It is important to mention that the National Culture Award is the highest recognition given to each of the Venezuelan artists who have years of experience in the cultural field.
