As part of its cultural sponsorship activities, Bank Austria Creditanstalt awards the Georg Eisler Prize, one of Austria’s most highly endowed art prizes, with a monetary value of €12,000. Established in 1998, the prize is awarded annually and is intended primarily to support young painters.

The 2006 Eisler Prize has been awarded to Bernd Koller. Born in 1971 in Fusch (Salzburg), Koller studied from 1989 to 1995 at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, among others with Arnulf Rainer.

Bernd Koller is considered the poet among Austrian artists of his generation—an artist who draws on his experiences in and with nature. The dialogue between nature and humankind serves as his source of inspiration. His works—often executed in soft washes and with restrained brushwork—subtly explore this theme.