Mentanarvirðisløn Landsins (Faroese Cultural Prize) has been awarded by the Faroese government to Faroese

writers A writer is a person who uses written words in different writing styles and techniques to communicate ideas. Writers produce different forms of literary art and creative writing such as novels, short stories, books, poetry, travelogues, plays ...

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, artists etc. since 1998. In 2004 no award was given. From 1998 to 2000 only one award was given, but in 2001 they established an additional award, half as big as the original. The prize is awarded by a board appointed by the Ministry of Culture. The board also gives additional special awards of 50.000 Danish Koroner and/or so-called ''sømdargávur'' or ''Sømdargáva landsins'' (grants), given as a lifelong annual grant of DKK 20 000. The main award, ''Mentanarvirðisløn landsins'', is DKK 150.000, and the ''heiðursgáva landsins'' (award of honour) is DKK 75.000 koroner. In 2011 the awards were announced in December, with the next awards announced on 15 January 2013, which was

William Heinesen Andreas William Heinesen (15 January 1900 – 12 March 1991) was a poet, novel writer, short story writer, children's book writer, composer and painter from the Faroe Islands. His writing The Faroese capital Tórshavn is always the centre of H ...

's birthday. This was also the first time that the event was held in

Klaksvík Klaksvík is the second largest town of the Faroe Islands behind Tórshavn. The town is located on Borðoy, which is one of the northernmost islands (the Norðoyar). It is the administrative centre of Klaksvík municipality. History The first se ...

, being announced in Spaniastova and broadcast live on national Faroese radio. The following year the prizes were handed out on 15 January in Stóra Pakkhús (The Large Storage House) in Vágur.

Awarded cultural persons

Mentanarvirðisløn landsins – Faroese Cultural Prize

Mentanarvirðisløn Landsins 2013 Tróndur Patursson

The main award, the ''Mentanarvirðisløn landsins'' (Faroese Cultural Award), is DDK 150.000. These persons have won the award since it started in 1998: * 2020 – Sigrun Gunnarsdóttir * 2019 – Hanus G. Johansen * 2018 – Bárður Jákupsson * 2017 –

Barbara í Gongini Barbara í Gongini (born 12 June 1966) is a Faroese-Danish avant-garde fashion designer from Fuglafjørður, Faroe Islands. Early life and education Barbara í Gongini is a Faroese avant-garde fashion designer who was born in Fuglafjørður and ...

* 2016 –

Rúni Brattaberg Rúni Brattaberg is a bass opera singer from the Faroe Islands, who works in operas around the world. He has been building his repertoire with Wagner (Gurnemanz, Hagen, Hunding, Fafner, Pogner, Heinrich) and other leading bass roles such as Osmi ...

* 2015 –

Annika Hoydal Annika Hoydal (born 19 November 1945) is a Faroese singer and actress. Hoydal was a contestant for the 1979 Dansk Melodi Grand Prix and was nominated for the 2016 Faroese Music Awards. The Hoydal family The family name Hoydal takes name after ...

* 2014 – Tórbjørn Olsen * 2013 –

Tróndur Patursson Tróndur Patursson (born 1 March 1944 in Kirkjubøur) is a Faroese painter, sculptor, glass artist and explorer. He was educated in Norway and was initially a sculptor. He has since become better known as a painter and glass artist. In February 2 ...

, artist * 2012 – Tóroddur Poulsen, poet, writer, artist and musician * 2011 –

Jóanes Nielsen Jóanes Nielsen (born April 5, 1953 in Tórshavn) is a Faroese author and poet of the 1980s generation. Nielsen has written short stories, plays and novels. He has published seven collections of poetry, and was nominated for the Nordic Council's ...

, writer and poet * 2010 –

Sunleif Rasmussen Sunleif Rasmussen (born March 19, 1961 in Sandur in the Faroe Islands) is the foremost Faroese composer of classical music. Biography Rasmussen studied in Norway, then returned to Tórshavn in the Faroes as a music teacher and jazz pianist. Fro ...

, composer * 2009 – Kári Leivsson (Kári P.), poet and singer/songwriter * 2008 –

Ebba Hentze Ebba Hentze (25 September 1930 – 20 May 2015) was a Faroese writer of children's books and a poet and translator. She received three Faroese literature and cultural prizes: Barnamentanarheiðursløn Tórshavnar býráðs (Tórshavn City Counci ...

, writer * 2006 –

Zacharias Heinesen Zacharias Heinesen (born 1936 in Tórshavn) is a Faroese painter. He is the son of the writer and artist William Heinesen. He attended Myndlistaskóli Íslands in Reykjavik between 1957 and 1958. In 1959–1963 he attended the Royal Danish Acad ...

, artist (painter) * 2005 –

Tita Vinther Tita may refer to: People Given name and nickname * Tita (Lord Byron) (1798-1874), full name Giovanni Battista Falcieri, personal servant of Lord Byron * Tita Bărbulescu (1936-2021), Romanian folk singer * Tita Rădulescu (1904-unknown), Romania ...

, artist * 2004 – No award given * 2003 –

Hanus Kamban Hanus Kamban (born 25 June 1942 in Saltangará, Faroe Islands) is a Faroese short story writer, essayist, biographer and poet. He was born Hanus Andreassen, but changed his last name to Kamban in 2000. Kamban grew up on the small island of Skú ...

, short story writer and translator * 2002 –

Gunnar Hoydal Gunnar is a male first name of Nordic origin (''Gunnarr'' in Old Norse). The name Gunnar means fighter, soldier, and attacker, but mostly is referred to by the Viking saying which means Brave and Bold warrior (''gunnr'' "war" and ''arr'' "warrior ...

, writer * 2001 – Eyðun Johannessen, actor and theatre director * 2000 –

Ingálvur av Reyni Ingálvur av Reyni (18 December 1920 – 26 November 2005) was the most celebrated painter of the Faroe Islands during the last years. Ingálvur av Reyni was born in Tórshavn. He rebelled through his expressionism against the epic content of h ...

, artist (painter) * 1999 –

Jens Pauli Heinesen Jens Pauli Heinesen (2 November 1932 in Sandavágur −19 July 2011 in Tórshavn) was a Faroese writer. He received the Faroese Literature Prize four times and the Faroese Cultural Prize once. From 1968 to 1975, Heinesen was president of the A ...

, novelist, short story writer and poet * 1998 –

Regin Dahl Regin Dahl (5 November 1918 – 29 March 2007) was a Faroese author and composer. Biography Dahl came from a literary family; his father being the translator and provost Jákup Dahl. His own poetry has been described as more modernistic than t ...

, poet and composer

Heiðursgáva landsins – Faroese Award of Honour

''Heiðursgáva landsins'' is DKK 75.000. These persons and cultural institutions have received the award since 2001: * 2019 – Simme Arge Jacobsen * 2018 –

Astrid Andreasen Faroe stamp 440 fish tree. Astrid Jóhanna Andreasen (born July 31, 1948, in Vestmanna, Faroe Islands) is a Faroese artist, illustrator and postage stamp designer. As a scientific illustrator, she specialises in marine animals. Andreasen grew up ...

* 2017 – Frits Johannesen * 2016 – Steinprent * 2015 –

Jákup Pauli Gregoriussen Jákup Pauli Gregoriussen (born 24 April 1932 in Tórshavn, Faroe Islands) is the leading architect of the Faroe Islands. He is also a graphic artist and author of publications about the Faroese church. Life Jákup Pauli was born in 1932 to the ...

, architect * 2014 – Tey av Kamarinum * 2013 – Árni Dahl, writer, editor * 2012 –

Marianne Clausen Marianne Clausen (25 December 1947 – 17 September 2014) was a Danish musicologist and choir conductor. She was the daughter of composer, choir conductor and musicologist Karl Clausen (1904–1972). Her main achievement, begun in collaboration ...

* 2011 –

Kristian Blak Kristian Blak (born 31 March 1947), originally from Fredericia, Denmark, lives in the Faroe Islands where he is a composer, musician, and record executive. He is the founder of the Nordic musical ensemble Yggdrasil (named after the World tree ...

, Danish/Faroese composer, musician and owner of TUTL record company * 2010 – Jonhard Mikkelsen, who started Sprotin, which publishes Faroese books. He has written and published several Faroese dictionaries * 2009 – Laura Joensen, theatre actor * 2008 – Martin Tórgarð, who got the award for his work with the Faroese chain dance and his gifts as ''skipari'' of the Faroese dance. (Skipari means skipper or captain, a title given to the person who leads the dance and starts the singing of every verse.) * 2007 – No award given * 2006 –

Jógvan Isaksen Jógvan Isaksen (born 25 August 1950 in Tórshavn) is a Faroese writer and literary historian. He is best known for his crime novels and for his book about Faroese literature (1993, in Danish). He is leader of the Faroese publication house whi ...

, crime fiction writer. He is also the head of '' Mentunargrunnur Studentafelagsins'', which is a Faroese publishing house in

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...

. * 2005 –

Emil Juul Thomsen Emil or Emile may refer to: Literature *'' Emile, or On Education'' (1762), a treatise on education by Jean-Jacques Rousseau * ''Émile'' (novel) (1827), an autobiographical novel based on Émile de Girardin's early life *'' Emil and the Detecti ...

* 2004 – No award given * 2003 – Ólavur Hátún * 2002 –

Axel Tórgarð Axel may refer to: People * Axel (name), all persons with the name Places * Axel, Netherlands, a town ** Capture of Axel, a battle at Axel in 1586 Arts, entertainment, media * ''Axel'', a 1988 short film by Nigel Wingrove * ''Axel'', a Cirque d ...

* 2001 – Fuglafjarðar Sjónleikarafelag

Other Special Awards

The board can give a special award of DKK 50.000 if they think it appropriate. These persons have received the award:

Award to Young artist – (Virðisløn til ungt listafólk)

* 2019 – No award given * 2018 – Búi Rouch, dancer og choreographer * 2017 – Konni Kass, singer and songwriter. * 2016 – Anna Malan Jógvansdóttir, poet * 2015 – Andrias Høgenni, film director * 2014 – Mathias Kapnas, musician * 2013 – Trygvi Danielsen, writer and musician * 2012 – Silja Strøm – young artist * 2011 –

Sakaris Stórá Sakaris Stórá (born 28 July 1986 in Skopun) is a Faroese film director and screenwriter. In December 2012 he won the first public Faroese film award, Geytin. Biography Sakaris Stórá was born and grew up in the small village of Skopun on the ...

– young film director (25 years old in 2011)

Málrøktarvirðisløn Landsins – Award for exceptional work on the Faroese Language

* 2010 – Jóhan Hendrik Winther Poulsen, linguist

Serstøk virðisløn – Special Award

This special award is DKK 50.000. These persons have received the award: * 2019 – The publication house Leirkerið with the brothers Zacharias Zachariasen and Flóvin Tyril * 2006 – Jón Hilmar Magnússon * 2001 –

children's writer Children's literature or juvenile literature includes stories, books, magazines, and poems that are created for children. Modern children's literature is classified in two different ways: genre or the intended age of the reader. Children's ...

Sømdargáva landsins

''Sømdargáva lansins'' (Faroese Grant) is DKK 20.000, an annual subsidy for the rest of their lives. * 2015 - Alexandur Kristiansen * 2014 -

Oddvør Johansen Oddvør Johansen (born 30 October 1941 in Tórshavn) is a Faroese writer and organ player in Tórshavn Cathedral. She writes novels, short stories and children's books. She has twice received the Faroese Literature Prize, in 1983 and 2002. In ...

* 2014 -

Katrin Ottarsdóttir Katrin Ottarsdóttir (born 1957) is a Faroese movie director and author. Biography Katrin Ottarsdóttir was born in Tórshavn. While growing up in the Faroes, she did not have television available to her, but enjoyed cinema. She went to Denmark i ...

* 2012 –

* 2012 – Hanus G. Johansen * 2012 – Guðrið Poulsen

References

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External links

Logir.fo KUNNGERÐ NR. 90 FRÁ 28. OKTOBER 2008 UM STUÐUL TIL MENTAN OG LIST (Faroese law about financial support of Faroese culture and art)
Faroese literature Awards established in 1998 Awards for contributions to culture Faroese literary awards Winter events in the Faroe Islands