Since its creation, this award, which is open to professional craftsmen and women, has honored the talent of 127 people working in a wide range of areas whose creations illustrate and highlight the “intelligence of the hand”.

Présentation du Prix Liliane Bettencourt pour l'Intelligence de la main
  • 1999year of creation of the prize
  • 3awards
  • 127awarded people

The award comes in three categories :

  • Talents ;

  • Dialogues ;

  • Parcours.

 

Timetable

The selection process takes place in three steps for all three categories.

In the first, administrative step, the admissibility of applications is examined. For Parcours, a presentation form is established for each applicant mentioned.

A committee of experts specific to each award then makes a pre-selection.

Lastly, the jury, common to all three awards, chooses the winners.

  • Opening of the 2024 call for applications October 4, 2023

  • Closing of the 2024 call for applications March 11, 2024

  • Designation of the winners Fall 2024

The jury

The Président

  • Laurence des Cars

    President and Director of the Louvre Museum

The members

  • Lilo Baur

    Actress and director

  • Emmanuel Gérard

    Head of the Cité internationale de la tapisserie in Aubusson, France

  • Lina Ghotmeh

    Architect

  • Constance Guisset

    Designer

  • Rabih Kayrouz

    Fashion designer

  • Didier Krzentowski

    Founder of Galerie kreo, Contemporary Art and Design specialist

  • Neil MacGregor

    Art historian and cultural administrator

  • Guy Savoy

    Chef

The Talents Award

©Sophie Zénon pour la Fondation Bettencourt Schueller

Presentation of the award

The award is given to an artisan for a work that displays a perfect command of technique and craftsmanship. It must be innovative and aesthetic but also contribute to progress in the artisan’s area of expertise.

  • Amount: 50,000 euros
  • Funding:  up to 100,000 euros depending on the project

The Dialogues Award

©Sophie Zénon pour la Fondation Bettencourt Schueller

Presentation of the award

The Dialogues Award is attributed for collaboration between an artisan and a designer. The collaboration must result in a sufficiently accomplished prototype or an object that demonstrates both outstanding craftsmanship and creative design.

  • Amount: 50,000€ divided equally between the two winners
  • Funding: up to 150,000€, for the winners to carry out experiments, research and innovation on their prototype or object.

The Parcours Award

©Sophie Zénon pour la Fondation Bettencourt Schueller

Presentation of the award

This award is given to a natural or legal person for a strong commitment and contribution to French craftsmanship.

  • Amount: 50,000€ 
  • Funding: up to 100,000€ for a project that promotes French craftsmanship

Selection method

There is no call for applications for this award. The Foundation invites a network of personalities to recommend organizations that meet the established criteria. Then, an outside panel of experts shortlists the recommendations and submits them to the jury.

Funding

Convinced that time is a key element in a project’s success, the Foundation offers the winners funding. As part of the award, funding lasts a maximum of three years. This tailor-made aid is granted for very specific purposes (purchasing raw materials, recruiting apprentices, etc.), but also makes it possible to increase the number of contacts, creating a real community of mutual aid and sharing between artisans and creators.

See all the laureates

Next session

The call for applications for the 2024 edition is now closed.