Tarjei Vesaas's debutantpris is a prize awarded annually for the best first literary work in

Norwegian Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to: *Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe * Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway * Demographics of Norway *The Norwegian language, including ...

. It is awarded by the

Norwegian Authors' Union The Norwegian Authors' Union ( no, Den norske Forfatterforening, DnF) is an association of Norwegian authors. It was established in 1893 to promote Norwegian literature and protect Norwegian authors' professional and economic interests. DnF also w ...

, and the organisation's 9-member Literary Caucus constitutes the jury for the prize. They choose the winner based on a free and independent evaluation on aesthetic criteria. In accordance with an agreement between the Authors' Union and the

Norwegian Publishers' Association The Norwegian Publishers' Association ( no, Den norske Forleggerforening) is a publishing house association in Norway. It was established in 1895 by William Martin Nygaard as a sub-group of the Norwegian Booksellers Association. The two separated i ...

, all newly published Norwegian literature is sent to all members of the Literary Caucus. The members thus choose the year's winner without there being any direct application for the prize. The winner is chosen at the Literary Caucus' annual 3-day January meeting, at which the caucus performs most of the tasks within its mandate, concerning

stipend A stipend is a regular fixed sum of money paid for services or to defray expenses, such as for scholarship, internship, or apprenticeship. It is often distinct from an income or a salary because it does not necessarily represent payment for work pe ...

s, guaranteed income and prizes. The prize is usually awarded in March. The prize was instituted in 1964 by

Tarjei Vesaas Tarjei Vesaas (20 August 1897 – 15 March 1970) was a Norwegian poet and novelist. Vesaas is widely considered to be one of Norway's greatest writers of the twentieth century and perhaps its most important since World War II. Biography Vesaas ...

with the money he received as winner of the

Nordic Council's Literature Prize The Nordic Council Literature Prize is awarded for a work of literature written in one of the languages of the Nordic countries, that meets "high literary and artistic standards". Established in 1962, the prize is awarded every year, and is worth ...

that year. Reflecting his intent, the literary merit of the work is the most important criterion, but if possible the prize is awarded to a young writer, 35 at the most.

Halldis Moren Vesaas Halldis Moren Vesaas (18 November 1907 – 8 September 1995) was a Norwegian poet, translator and writer of children's books. She established herself as one of the leading Norwegian writers of her generation. Biography She was born on a f ...

wrote of the establishment of the prize in her memoir, ''Båten om dagen'' (1976): :''Så snart Tarjei fekk visst at han skulle få denne prisen, hadde han sagt at han ville gje bort dei pengane. Dei skulle settast av til eit stipendfond, det som seinare fekk namnet Tarjei Vesaas' debutantlegat. Det skulle delast ut kvart år til ein talentfull og ung – helst ikkje over 30 år – debutant. Dette at dei som fekk legatet skulle vere unge, grunngav givaren med at han mintest frå si eiga første skrivetid kor mykje ei oppmuntring kunne ha å seie for ein debuterande ung forfattar. Heile ideen viser òg kor positivt innstilt han var til ungdommen og til alt det leitande og eksperimenterande som no tok til å prege den unge diktinga her til lands.'' (As soon as Tarjei learnt that he was to receive that prize, he had said that he wanted to pay back the money. It was to be put aside for a stipend fund that would later receive the name 'Tarjei Vesaas' debutantlegat' (debut endowment). It was to be paid out annually to a talented and young - at least not over 30 - first-time author. That those who should receive the stipend should be young contributors at the beginning of their careers, since he remembered from his own first time writing how much encouragement could mean to a young author publishing for the first time. The whole idea also shows how positively disposed he was towards youth and towards all the seeking and experimenting which was now beginning to characterise young people's writing here in this country.) Cited from p. 218 in her memoirs, issued together under the title ''I Midtbøs bakkar'' (1979 and 1995). Vesaas and his wife

(who were not themselves involved in the judging) were delighted that in its second year the prize went to

Jan Erik Vold Jan Erik Vold (born 18 October 1939) is a Norwegian lyric poet, jazz vocal reciter, translator and author. He was a core member of the so-called "''Profil'' generation", the circle attached to the literary magazine ''Profil''. Throughout his care ...

, who had been their lodger in summer 1964 at the 'writer's hut' ''Juvstøyl''.

Winners

References

Norwegian literary awards Norwegian literature Awards established in 1964 Literary awards honouring young writers First book awards {{DEFAULTSORT:Tarjei Vesaas' Debutantpris