Géza Kovács received the 2014 Patrick Hayes Award at the New York 2014 Congress, Imagining a New Economy for the Arts.

Kovács was born in 1955 in Tura, Hungary. He began his career as a Chorus Master and Cultural Manager, organising national and international arts festivals. From 1989-95 he served as the Managing Director of Budapest MÁV Symphony Orchestra. In 1995 he served as the Director General of the former Hungarian State Orchestra. In 1998 he was engaged at the National Philharmonic Orchestra Choir and Music Library.

Since 1994, he has been the President of the Association of Hungarian Orchestras. In 1998 he was named Vice President of the Hungarian Music Council. He has been a member of the Performing Arts Employers’ Associations League Europe since 1996, and a member of the Executive Committee since 2000. He has been a member of ISPA since 2004. He has lectured at various universities, directed documentary films for a multitude of TV channels, and has published essays and articles in Hungary and other countries.

Source: www.ispa.org