Blanda Matica receives Vicko Andrić Lifetime Achievement Award

The Croatian Ministry of Culture and Media has announced the winners of the 2025 Vicko Andrić Awards, which recognize exceptional achievements in the protection of cultural heritage.

Blanda Matica has been honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award for her decades of professional work in the protection, restoration, and preservation of Croatian architectural heritage. Her career includes leadership roles such as Director of the Department for the Protection of Cultural Heritage at the Ministry of Culture and Assistant Director of the Croatian Institute for the Restoration of Movable Heritage. Her work spans numerous projects, including Veliki Tabor, the Batthyany castles in Ludbreg and Lukavec, and historical sites in Varaždin, Vukovar, Ilok, and Zagreb.

The award for extraordinary contribution to the protection of cultural heritage was presented to a professional team led by Viki Jakaša Borić for the comprehensive and energy-efficient restoration of the Oršić-Jakovlje Artist's Castle and its surrounding sculpture park. Additionally, Fra Josip Sopti received the award for contribution to the local community for his work in protecting and promoting cultural and sacred heritage in the Dubrovnik area.