Chile honors Luis Ortúzar and Mirtha Iturra with Margot Loyola Palacios Award

Luis Hernán Ortúzar Araya, known as ‘El Chincolito’, and folklorist Mirtha Lidia Iturra Bernales have been awarded the 2026 Margot Loyola Palacios National Career Award in Traditional Culture. Both recipients have roots in Chile's Maule Region.

The ceremony took place at the La Moneda Palace and was led by the Minister of Cultures, Arts and Heritage, Francisco Undurraga, and First Lady María Pía Adriazola. The award, now in its eleventh edition, recognizes individuals or groups whose work in creation, training, or research enriches Chile's intangible cultural heritage.

‘El Chincolito’ has been a popular poet and singer since the age of eight, contributing to the training of new generations in the Maule Region. The award coincides with the National Day of Traditional and Popular Culture, celebrated on September 15 to mark the birth of master Margot Loyola.