The Supreme Council for Culture (SCC), headed by Amal Sebyan, announced on Sunday a new prize for music criticism to be awarded through the Committee of Music, Opera and Ballet headed by Rageh Dawood.

The prize for best work of music critique, worth EGP 5,000, is one of the council’s annual prizes, which include singing, composing, instrument performance and ballet choreography and dancing.

The prize aims to encourage youth under the age of 35 to write more in music criticism for all genres of music – classical, film soundtracks or song – to discover new talents in a field that is lacking.

Applications for the completion are open until 10 April for all talents, academics, or journalists, on condition that the work submitted is a published piece from 500 to 1,000 words.

The awards ceremony will be held at the Small Theatre at the Cairo Opera House from 17 April to 3 May.

The Committee of Music, Opera and Ballet includes journalists Gamal Zayda and Amir Shehata, as well as a selection of heads from the Cairo Opera House, the arts academy, deans of arts institutes, and professors of music and ballet.

The SCC is a body run by the Ministry of Culture, replacing the High Council of Arts and Culture, which was founded in 1954. 

One of the most integral parts of the culture ministry, the SCC is responsible for setting ministry policies and organising ministry activities.

It is also responsible for granting state cultural prizes, which are traditionally announced each June, with the state awards determined by members of the SCC.

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