Tenerife’s Council Launches Cultural Heritage Conservation Awards
Tenerife’s Council has introduced the Insular Awards for the Protection and Conservation of Cultural Heritage to celebrate outstanding efforts in preserving the island’s historical assets. The initiative aims to recognise the best interventions over the past decade in conserving, restoring, and enhancing both movable and immovable heritage.
A total of €28,000 will be awarded to successful projects that have contributed positively to cultural conservation and showcased best practices in heritage management.
Rosa Dávila, the council president, emphasised the importance of recognising those who value heritage as vital to Tenerife’s identity and memory. She noted that each restored property and piece reflects significant knowledge and dedication worthy of community appreciation.
Dávila indicated that this initiative is part of a broader policy to prioritise heritage protection, engaging not only public investment but also private owners, professionals, and citizens. She stated that the heritage we inherit is the result of generations of care and it is our responsibility to preserve it for future generations.
The awards will be divided into three categories: private property interventions; public property interventions, including those on church-owned sites; and conservation and restoration of movable heritage. Each category will have first and second prizes.
In the private property category, the first prize is €8,000 and the second €6,000, to be shared between the project promoter and the architect. For public properties, prizes are €4,000 and €3,000 for the responsible architect.
Movable heritage restorations will also receive prizes of €4,000 and €3,000, with amounts distributed based on whether the pieces are public or private.
Isabel de Esteban, the island’s director of Territorial Planning, Landscape, and Historical Heritage, explained that the awards seek to highlight good practices and make quality interventions examples for future projects. She stressed that effective restoration demonstrates the possibility of adapting and revitalising heritage while respecting its authenticity and historical values.
De Esteban added that conserving heritage is a shared responsibility, and the awards aim to acknowledge both property owners and the professionals whose technical knowledge and sensitivity contribute to high-quality, respectful interventions.
Eligible projects must have been completed within ten years prior to the applications closing date, which will be announced in the Provincial Official Bulletin. The council will assess entries through a competitive process involving two specialised juries—one for immovable and another for movable heritage—comprised of representatives from various academic, professional, and cultural institutions.
Criteria for judging entries will include how well buildings have adapted to new uses while preserving their original features, and for movable items, methodological and aesthetic considerations will be evaluated.
De Esteban concluded, saying the goal is to foster a culture of good conservation, ensuring that protecting heritage goes beyond mere preservation, but rather involves rigorous interventions to maintain authenticity and significance in Tenerife’s ongoing life.
The application window will open for two months following the announcement of the call for entries, with awarded projects receiving public recognition from the council, along with a commemorative plaque identifying the awarded intervention.
