In his laudatory speech, Mayor Frühauf emphasized the central role that culture plays in a community. "It has a high status in our city, as it enriches the social, economic and emotional life of our community. It connects people, strengthens the city's identity and promotes understanding and exchange between different population groups." The Mayor also briefly touched on the change in the procedure for choosing the winner of the Culture Prize. This is no longer carried out by the Culture Committee alone, but by an extended jury. The nominees are also presented to the public. "This year, nine associations, groups or individuals were nominated. They represented the wide range of cultural diversity in Idar-Oberstein."
With regard to the current culture prize winner, the band SpeedBottles, Lord Mayor Frühauf emphasized that the six band members have not only won the hearts of many people with their rousing performances over the past 20 years, but have also been intensively involved in promoting young cultural talent. Among other things, they themselves organize events in Idar-Oberstein and the region to promote regional up-and-coming bands that make their own music. "In this way, they offer future generations a platform for artistic development and self-realization. They also bring well-known scene bands from all over the world to the region." This makes the SpeedBottles a band that not only impresses with its music, but also with its commitment to the local music scene. "We are proud to have such cultural ambassadors in our midst," emphasized Frühauf and presented the band members with their certificate of appointment. The cultural award comes with prize money of 2,500 euros, sponsored by Kreissparkasse Birkenfeld.
"We are incredibly happy about this award and will continue to act as ambassadors for everything that makes Idar-Oberstein special," emphasized the band members. They want to use the prize money to cover the costs of their current album 'Get down and pray', of which they presented Mayor Frühauf with a signed vinyl LP. They responded to the mayor's announcement that they would be providing the musical backdrop for the next New Year's reception with a 'warning' to the audience: "You'd better bring some Oropax, because it's going to get a bit louder."