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

musicians A musician is a person who composes, conducts, or performs music. According to the United States Employment Service, "musician" is a general term used to designate one who follows music as a profession. Musicians include songwriters who w ...

, 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'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 ...

, 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 * 2016 – Rúni Brattaberg * 2015 – Annika Hoydal * 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 ...

, 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 L ...

, 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, writer * 2006 – Zacharias Heinesen, artist (painter) * 2005 – Tita Vinther, artist * 2004 – No award given * 2003 – Hanus Kamban, short story writer and translator * 2002 – Gunnar Hoydal, writer * 2001 – Eyðun Johannessen, actor and theatre director * 2000 – Ingálvur av Reyni, artist (painter) * 1999 – Jens Pauli Heinesen, novelist, short story writer and poet * 1998 – Regin Dahl, 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 * 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 * 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, 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 * 2004 – No award given * 2003 – Ólavur Hátún * 2002 – Axel Tórgarð * 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 – Ebba Hentze,

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 * 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 ...

* 2012 – Ebba Hentze * 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