Nick Cave Awarded Prestigious French Cultural Honour

From left to right: Laurent Didailler, Shirin Foroutan, Kenny Gates, Susie Cave, Nick Cave, Bertrand Burgalat, Françoise Nyssen, Patrick de Carolis, Maja Hoffmann

Nick Cave has received the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres, one of the highest orders of merit awarded by the French Ministry of Culture.

The Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters is a prestigious accolade, recognising those individuals who have distinguished themselves through their contributions to the arts, literature, or the influence of French culture.

Cave was on hand at Arles City Hall on Saturday morning, July 26th, where he received the cultural accolade from Bertrand Burgalat, president of the Syndicat National de l’Édition Phonographique.

The “Where The Wild Roses Grow” singer doubled up with the City of Arles Medal, a civic honour recognising his exceptional artistic contributions over decades and his special ties to Arles, presented by Mayor Patrick de Carolis.

The event was co-produced by PIAS, the independent music juggernaut that released his last studio album, Wild God, and took place ahead of Cave’s concert later that evening for the Les Escales du Cargo festival.

Mayor de Carolis also awarded the City of Arles Medal of Honour to Kenny Gates, co-founder of [PIAS], the long-time partner of Harmonia Mundi, Arles’ flagship and world-renowned classical label. 

Cave joins a small cadre of Australian artists to be recognised by the French establishment for their considerable contributions to culture and the arts. Tina Arena is another, receiving the Ordre National du Merite (National Order of Merit) back in 2011.

With those two awards, Cave’s trophy collection is positively heaving. Across his career, Cave has won a slew of ARIA and APRA Awards, was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2007.

Wild God, the alternative rock legends’ 18th studio album and first through PIAS, opened at No. 2 on the ARIA Chart, No. 5 on the Official UK Albums Chart, and No. 66 on the Billboard 200.

Cave is much-loved in his homeland, too. When the Hottest 100 of Australian Songs counted down last Saturday, Cave’s works with The Bad Seeds “Into My Arms” (from 1997) appeared at No. 44 and “Red Right Hand” (from 1994) came in at No. 98.