Takács has published a wide range of critical writings, mainly on Hungarian and English language literature, over the past several decades.
Culture Minister András Bozóki announced the founding of the Péter Balassa Prize on 21 January, Hungarian Culture Day, as part of the ministry?s new literature programme. The HUF 200,000 prize is awarded to one recipient each year whose essays on or studies of literature, music, visual art or film has demonstrated superior merit.
The prize is named after prize-winning critic and university lecturer Péter Balassa, who died on 30 June 2003, aged 57.
The prize jury includes ELTE Aesthetics Department Professor Miklós Almási, psychologist Judit B. Gáspár, who is Balassa's widow, ELTE Humanities Professor Győző Ferencz, writer Péter Nádas, and ELTE Aesthetics Department Professor György Poszler.
Takács has enjoyed a high profile as a literary historian and critic since the 1970s, publishing in Kortárs, Élet és Irodalom and Mozgó Világ, all important cultural journals, as well as in Népszabadság, Hungary?s best-selling broadsheet. Takács has also written film reviews for Filmvilág, Cinema and other publications. Takács is well-known for his clear and witty style, as well as his vast knowledge of the fields about which he writes.
The prize will be awarded by Culture Minister Bozóki at Budapest's Petőfi Literature Museum on Tuesday.
