The Nordic Council awards five prizes every year: The Literature Prize,the Music Prize, the Film Prize, the Children and Young People’s Literature Prize and the Environment Prize.
The Nordic Council’s prizes contribute to increasing visibility for the close cultural co-operation in the Nordic Region. The objective of the cultural prizes is to increase interest in Nordic literature, language, film and music. The Environment Prize rewards extraordinary efforts towards a more sustainable Nordic Region. You can read more about each individual prize down below.
The Nordic Council’s prizes are considered to be among the most prestigious prizes in the Nordic Region and enjoy great international recognition. The Literature Prize is the oldest of the five prizes. It was first awarded in 1962 and was followed by the Music Prize in 1965, the Environment Prize in 1995, the Film Prize in 2002, and the Children and Young People’s Literature Prize in 2013. The five prize committees select the nominees and winners.
The prizes are each worth 350,000 Danish krones and are awarded in conjunction with the Nordic Council’s annual Session.
Literature Prize
The Nordic Council Literature Prize has been awarded since 1962 and is given to a work of fiction written in one of the Nordic languages. This may be a novel, a play, or a collection of poems, short stories, or essays that are of a high literary and artistic quality. You can find more information about the literature prize here.
List of winners of the Literature prize:
1962; Eyvind Johnson; Hans nådes tid; Sweden
1963; Väinö Linna; Täällä Pohjantähden alla 3; Finland
1964; Tarjei Vesaas; Is-slottet; Norway
1965; Olof Lagercrantz; Från Helvetet till Paradiset; Sweden, and William Heinesen; Det gode Håb; Faroe Islands
1966; Gunnar Ekelöf; Dīwān över Fursten av Emgión; Sweden
1967; Johan Borgen; Nye noveller; Norway
1968; Per Olof Sundman; Ingenjör Andrées luftfärd; Sweden
1972; Karl Vennberg; Sju ord på tunnelbanan; Sweden
1973; Veijo Meri; Kersantin poika; Finland
1974; Villy Sørensen; Uden mål – og med; Denmark
1975; Hannu Salama; Siinä näkijä missä tekijä; Finland
1976; Ólafur Jóhann Sigurðsson; Að laufferjum and Að brunnum; Iceland
1977; Bo Carpelan; I de mörka rummen, i de ljusa; Finland
1978; Kjartan Fløgstad; Dalen Portland; Norway
1979; Ivar Lo-Johansson; Pubertet; Sweden
1980; Sara Lidman; Vredens barn; Sweden
1981; Snorri Hjartarson; Hauströkkrið yfir mér; Iceland
1982; Sven Delblanc; Samuels bok; Sweden
1983; Peter Seeberg; Om fjorten dage; Denmark
1984; Göran Tunström; Juloratoriet; Sweden
1985; Antti Tuuri; Pohjanmaa; Finland
1986; Rói Patursson; Líkasum; Faroe Islands
1987; Herbjørg Wassmo; Hudløs himmel; Norway
1988; Thor Vilhjálmsson; Grámosinn glóir; Iceland
1989; Dag Solstad; Roman 1987; Norway
1990; Tomas Tranströmer; För levande och döda; Sweden
1991; Nils-Aslak Valkeapää; Beaivi, áhčážan; Sami language area
1992; Fríða Á. Sigurðardóttir; Meðan nóttin líður; Iceland
1993; Peer Hultberg; Byen og verden; Denmark
1994; Kerstin Ekman; Händelser vid vatten; Sweden
1995; Einar Már Guðmundsson; Englar alheimsins; Iceland
1996; Øystein Lønn; Hva skal vi gjøre i dag og andre noveller; Norway
1997; Dorrit Willumsen; Bang. En roman om Herman Bang; Denmark
1998; Tua Forsström; Efter att ha tillbringat en natt bland hästar; Finland
1999; Pia Tafdrup; Dronningeporten; Denmark
2000; Henrik Nordbrandt; Drømmebroer; Denmark
2001; Jan Kjærstad; Oppdageren; Norway
2002; Lars Saabye Christensen; Halvbroren; Norway
2003; Eva Ström; Revbensstäderna; Sweden
2004; Kari Hotakainen; Juoksuhaudantie; Finland
2005; Sjón; Skugga-Baldur; Iceland
2006; Göran Sonnevi; Oceanen; Sweden
2007; Sara Stridsberg; Drömfakulteten; Sweden
2008; Naja Marie Aidt; Bavian; Denmark
2009; Per Petterson; Jeg forbanner tidens elv; Norway
2010; Sofi Oksanen; Puhdistus; Finland
2011; Gyrðir Elíasson; Milli trjánna; Iceland
2012; Merethe Lindstrøm; Dager i stillhetens historie; Norway
2013; Kim Leine; Profeterne fra Evighedsfjorden; Denmark
2014; Kjell Westö; Hägring 38; Finland
2015; Jon Fosse; Andvake, Olavs draumar and Kveldsvævd; Norway
2016; Katarina Frostenson; Sånger och formler; Sweden
2017; Kirsten Thorup; Erindring om kærligheden; Denmark
2018; Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir; Ör; Iceland
2019; Jonas Eika; Efter Solen; Denmark
Music Prize
The Nordic Council Music Prize focuses on the performance and creation of music of a high artistic standard. The prize is awarded on alternate years to a piece of music by a living composer and to a small or large ensemble. You can find more information about the prize here.
List of winners of the Music prize:
1965; Karl-Birger Blomdahl; Sweden
1968; Joonas Kokkonen; Finland
1970; Lars Johan Werle; Sweden
1972; Arne Nordheim; Norway
1974; Per Nørgård; Denmark
1976; Atli Heimir Sveinsson; Iceland
1978; Aulis Sallinen; Finland
1980; Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen; Denmark
1982; Åke Hermanson; Sweden
1984; Sven-David Sandström; Sweden
1986; Hafliði Hallgrímsson; Iceland
1988; Magnus Lindberg; Finland
1990; Olav Anton Thommessen; Norway
1991; Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen; Denmark
1992; Anders Eliasson; Sweden
1993; Mellersta Österbottens Kammarorkester; Finland
1994; Erik Bergman; Finland
1995; Eric Ericson; Sweden
1996; Bent Sørensen; Denmark
1997; Björk; Iceland
1998; Rolf Wallin; Norway
1999; Leif Segerstam; Finland
2000; Kaija Saariaho; Finland
2001; Palle Mikkelborg; Denmark
2002; Sunleif Rasmussen; Faroe Islands
2003; Mari Boine; Norway
2004; Haukur Tómasson; Iceland
2005; Ensemble Cikada; Norway
2006; Natasha Barrett; Norway
2007; The Eric Ericson Chamber Choir; Sweden
2008; Peter Bruun; Denmark
2009; Kari Kriikku; Finland
2010; Lasse Thoresen; Norway
2011; Mats Gustafsson; Sweden
2012; Anna Thorvaldsdóttir; Iceland
2013; Pekka Kuusisto; Finland
2014; Simon Steen-Andersen; Denmark
2015; Svante Henryson; Sweden
2016; Hans Abrahamsen; Denmark
2017; Susanna Mälkki; Finland
2018; Nils Henrik Asheim; Norway
2019; Gyða Valtýsdóttir; Iceland
Film Prize
The Film Prize was awarded for the first time in 2002 as part of the Nordic Council’s 50th-anniversary celebrations. Originally awarded on a trial basis, it was made permanent in 2005, and is awarded along with the prizes for music, literature, and the environment. Nordisk Film & TV Fond is responsible for the administration of the prize. It is awarded to a full-length feature that has roots in Nordic culture and displays high standards of artistic quality and originality. Innovation is also weighted heavily. The films nominated should preferably be in one of the Nordic languages. You can read more about the Nordic Council Film Prize here.
List of winners of the Film Prize:
2002; Mies vailla menneisyyttä; director, script and and production Aki Kaurismäki; Finland
2005; Drabet; director: Per Fly, script: Kim Leona, Dorte Høgh, Mogens Rukov and Per Fly, production: Ib Tardini; Denmark
2006; Zozo. director: Josef Fares, production: Anna Anthony; Sweden
2007; Kunsten at græde i kor;. director: Peter Schønau Fog, script: Bo Hr. Hansen, production: Thomas Stenderup; Denmark
2008; Du levende; director and script: Roy Andersson, production: Pernilla Sandström; Sweden
2009; Antichrist; director and script: : Lars von Trier, production: Meta Louise Foldager; Denmark
2011; Svinlängorna; director: Pernilla August, script: Pernilla August and Lolita Ray, production: Helena Danielsson and Ralf Karlsson; Sweden
2012; Play; director: Ruben Östlund, production: Erik Hemmendorff; Sweden
2013; Jagten; director Thomas Vinterberg; Denmark
2014; Hross í oss; director and script: Benedikt Erlingsson, production: Friðrik Þór Friðriksson; Iceland
2015; Fúsi; director and script: Dagur Kári, production: Baltasar Kormákur and Agnes Johansen; Iceland
2016; Louder Than Bombs, director Joachim Trier; script: Joachim Trier and Eskil Vogt; production: Joachim Trier, Eskil Vogt and Thomas Robsahm; Norway
2017; Little Wing; director and script Selma Vilhunen, production: Kaarle Aho and Kai Nordberg; Findland
2018; Kona fer í stríð; director Benedikt Erlingsson; Iceland
2019; Dronningen; director May el-Toukhy; Denmark
The Children and Young People’s Literature Prize
The Nordic Council Children and Young People’s Literature Prize was awarded for the first time at the Session of the Nordic Council in 2013 along with the Council’s other prizes. It represents the culmination of the culture ministers’ long-held ambition to boost the profile of literature for children and young people in the Nordic Region. The prize is designed to generate greater interest in the shared Nordic sense of cultural affinity and to recognize unique artistic endeavors. You can read more about the Children and Young People’s Literature Prize here.
List of winners of the Children and Young People’s Literature Prize:
2013; Karikko; Seita Vuorela and Jani Ikonen; Finland
2014: Brune;Håkon Øvreås and Øyvind Torseter; Norway
2015: Mördarens apa; Jakob Wegelius; Sweden
2016: Sölvasaga unglings; Arnar Már Arngrímsson; Iceland
2017: Djur som ingen sett utom vi; Ulf Stark and Linda Bondestam; Sweden
2018: Træið ; Bárður Oskarsson; Faroe Islands
2019: Alle sammen teller; Kristin Roskifte; Norway
Environment Prize
The prize goes to a company, organisation or individual for exemplary efforts to integrate respect for nature and the environment into their business or work or for some other form of extraordinary initiative on behalf of nature and the environment. The idea behind the prize is to raise awareness of environmental work in the Nordic Region. You can find more information about the Environment Prize here.
List of winners of the environment prize:
1995; Torleif Ingelög; Sweden
1996; Inuit Circumpolar Conference; Greenland
1997; The Institute of Product Development at the Technical University of Denmark; Denmark
1998; The “Jarðvegsvernd” project, led by Ólafur Arnalds; Iceland
1999; Åland Natur & Miljö; Åland Island
2000; Bellona Foundaition; Norway
2001; Mats Segnestam; Sweden
2002; Arne Næss; Norway
2003; Finnish Nature League; Finland
2004; Coalition Clean Baltic; Multiple countries
2005; Ann-Cecilie Norderhaug, Norway
2006; Bogi Hansen; Faroe Island
2007; Albertslund Municipality; Denmark
2008; “Marorka” marine energy management company; Iceland
2009; Swedish forest schools initiative “I Ur och Skur”; Sweden
2010; Merkur Andelskasse, Ekobanken, and Cultura Sparebank banks; Denmark, Sweden and Norway
2011; Scandic hotels; Norway
2012; Olli Manninen; Finland
2013; Selina Juul and the “Stop Wasting Food” movement, Denmark