The Arts Council Norway Honorary Award () is awarded annually by the

Arts Council Norway The Arts Council Norway (, often shortened to ''Kulturrådet'') is the official arts council for Norway. Based in Oslo, it is a Norwegian state institution created in as a result of a parliamentary decision in 1964. Arts Council Norway's admini ...

. The prize is awarded annually to a person who has made a significant contribution to Norwegian art and culture. The prize committee does not solicit nominations and the decision on award is made in closed meeting. Traditionally, no decision basis for the award is announced. The prize is monetary (in 2005 500,000 Kroner). Since the Council's thirtieth anniversary in December 1994, a bronze lion statuette by the sculptor Elena Engelsen has also been awarded.

Recipients

*1968 – Frits von der Lippe *1969 – Hans Peter L'Orange, professor of archaeology *1970 –

Alf Prøysen Alf Prøysen () (23 July 1914 – 23 November 1970) was a Norwegian author, poet, playwright, songwriter and musician. Prøysen was one of the most important Norwegian cultural personalities in the second half of the 20th century. He work ...

, writer and singer *1971 – Alf Rolfsen, painter *1972 –

Klaus Egge Klaus Egge (July 19, 1906 – March 7, 1979) was a Norwegian composer and music critic. Background Egge was born in Gransherad, Telemark, Norway. He was the son of Rasmus Klausen Egge (1874-1962) and Rakel Abrahamsdatter Iversen (1877-1986). He ...

, composer *1973 –

Hans Heiberg Hans Heiberg (28 January 1904 – 6 December 1978) was a Norwegian journalist, literary critic, theatre critic, essayist, novelist, playwright, translator and theatre director. Early and personal life Heiberg was born in Kristiania as son of ...

, writer *1974 – Hans Jonas Henriksen, Sami language proponent *1975 –

Ingeborg Refling Hagen Ingeborg Refling Hagen (19 December 1895 – 30 October 1989) was a Norwegian author, poet, and artistic director. Her writings and activities in support of the arts made her a significant cultural figure in Norway during much of the 20th centur ...

, writer *1976 –

Sigbjørn Bernhoft Osa Sigbjørn Bernhoft Osa (3 May 1910 – 2 February 1990) was a Norwegian fiddler and traditional folk musician. He was one of the best known Norwegian performers of folk music in the 1900s. Personal life Osa was born in Ulvik, Hardanger as the so ...

, folk musician *1977 – Ella Hval, actor *1978 –

Olav Dalgard Olav Dalgard (June 19, 1898 – December 25, 1980) was a Norway, Norwegian literary and art historian, filmmaker, author and educator. Biography Dalgard was born Olaf Hanssen in Folldal Municipality, in Hedmark, Norway. From the age of three, h ...

, film director and critic *1979 –

Harald Sæverud Harald Sigurd Johan Sæverud (17 April 1897 – 27 March 1992) was a Norwegian composer. He is most known for his music to Henrik Ibsen's ''Peer Gynt'', '' Rondo Amoroso'', and the ''Ballad of Revolt'' (). Sæverud wrote nine symphonie ...

, composer *1980 – Sonja Hagemann *1981 –

Erling Stordahl Erling Stordahl (1 August 1923 – 31 October 1994) was a Norwegian farmer and singer. He is best known for the around 120 songs he recorded throughout 17 years from 1951 together with Gunnar Engedahl. They met at the Norwegian Association of th ...

*1982 –

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 fam ...

, writer *1983 –

Sigmund Skard Sigmund Skard (31 July 1903 – 26 May 1995) was a Norwegian poet, essayist and professor of American literature. Biography Skard was born in Kristiansand, Norway. He was a son of educators Matias Skard (1846–1927) and Gyda Christensen (1868� ...

, professor of literature *1984 –

Helge Sivertsen Helge Sivertsen (12 June 1913 – 21 December 1986) was a Norwegian school administrator and elected official. He was best known as a champion discus thrower in the 1936 Summer Olympics. Biography He was born at Mandal in Vest-Agder, Norway. He w ...

, politician *1985 –

Lars Brandstrup Lars Brandstrup (13 April 1913 – 25 January 1997) was a Norwegian gallerist. Biography Brandstrup was born at Horten in Vestfold, Norway. He was raised in Denmark and in 1950 he moved back to Norway. Brothers Lars and Niels Brandstrup esta ...

, gallerist *1986 –

Helge Ingstad Helge Marcus Ingstad (30 December 1899 – 29 March 2001) was a Norwegian explorer. In 1960, after mapping some Norse settlements, Ingstad and his wife archaeologist Anne Stine Ingstad found remnants of a Viking settlement in L'Anse aux Meadow ...

, adventurer *1987 –

Nils Johan Rud Nils Johan Rud (24 July 1908 – 7 June 1993) was a Norwegian novelist, writer of short stories, children's writer, and a magazine editor. He is particularly known for his long-term period as editor of the magazine ''Arbeidermagasinet'' / ' ...

, writer and magazine editor *1988 –

Arne Skouen Arne Skouen (18 October 1913 – 24 May 2003) was a Norwegian journalist, author, film director and film producer. Biography Arne Skouen was born in Kristiania (now Oslo), Norway. His parents were Peder Nikolai Skouen (1883-1978) and Jenn ...

, film dicetor *1989 –

Espen Skjønberg Espen Henrik Skjønberg (7 April 1924 – 26 August 2022) was a Norwegian actor of stage, screen, and television. Career Skjønberg made his first movie appearances as a child in the 1932 film '' En glad gutt'' and in the 1937 Norwegian classic ...

, actor *1990 –

Arne Nordheim Arne Nordheim (20 June 1931 – 5 June 2010) was a Norwegian composer. Nordheim received numerous awards for his compositions, and from 1982 lived in the Norwegian government's honorary residence, Grotten, next to the Royal Palace in Oslo. ...

, composer *1991 –

Synnøve Anker Aurdal Synnøve Anker Aurdal (8 December 1908 – 2 April 2000) was a Norwegian textile artist. Her awards include Jacob-prisen, Maihaugenprisen, the Prince Eugen Medal, Arts Council Norway Honorary Award, and the Order of St. Olav. Early and p ...

, textile artist *1992 –

Iver Jåks Iver Jåks (25 October 1932 – 17 March 2007) was a Norwegian Sámi people, Sámi artist, sculptor and illustrator. He contributed to the development and international recognition of Sámi art. Known for incorporating elements of Sámi culture ...

, artist *1993 –

Erik Bye Erik Erikssønn Bye (March 1, 1926 – October 13, 2004) was a versatile Norwegian-American journalist, artist, author, film actor, folk singer and radio and television personality. He was one of the 20th century's most well-known and popular r ...

, singer *1994 – Anne-Cath. Vestly, children's book author *1995 – Ole Henrik Moe, gallerist, pianist *1996 –

Arve Tellefsen Arve Tellefsen () (born 14 December 1936) is a Norwegian violinist who has worked with conductors such as Mariss Jansons, Arvid Jansons, Herbert Blomstedt, Gary Bertini, Evgeny Svetlanov, Bryden Thomson, Neeme Järvi, Esa-Pekka Salonen, ...

, violinist *1997 –

Liv Ullmann Liv Johanne Ullmann (born 16 December 1938) is a Norwegian actress and filmmaker. Recognised as one of the greatest European actresses of all time, Ullmann is known as the muse and frequent collaborator of filmmaker Ingmar Bergman, whom she date ...

, actor *1998 –

Sverre Fehn Sverre Fehn (14 August 1924 – 23 February 2009) was a Norwegian architect. Life Fehn was born at Kongsberg in Buskerud, Norway. He was the son of John Tryggve Fehn (1894–1981) and Sigrid Johnsen (1895–1985). He received his architect ...

, architect *1999 – Finn Carling, writer *2000 –

Anne Brown Anne Brown (August 9, 1912March 13, 2009) was an American lyric soprano for whom George Gershwin rewrote the part of "Bess" into a leading role in the original production of his opera ''Porgy and Bess'' in 1935. She was also a radio and concert ...

, singer *2001 – Kjartan Slettemark, artist *2002 – Edith Roger, producer *2003 –

Jon Fosse Jon Olav Fosse (; born 29 September 1959) is a Norwegian author, translator, and playwright. In 2023, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature "for his innovative plays and prose which give voice to the unsayable." Fosse's work spans over se ...

, writer and playwright *2004 –

Jan Garbarek Jan Garbarek () (born 4 March 1947) is a Norwegian jazz saxophonist, who is also active in classical music and world music. Garbarek was born in Mysen, Østfold, southeastern Norway, the only child of a former Polish prisoner of war, Czesław Gar ...

, saxophonist, composer *2005 –

Agnes Buen Garnås Agnes Buen Garnås (23 October 1946 – 12 November 2024) was a Norwegian folk singer from the county of Telemark. She came from a famous musical family from the town of Jondal, and was known particularly for her singing of ancient unaccompanied ...

, folk musician *2006 –

Bruno Oldani Bruno Oldani (14 March 1936 – 9 May 2021) was a Swiss designer. He was born in Zürich and later settled in Norway. He was appointed assistant professor at the Norwegian National Academy of Craft and Art Industry from 1988 to 1994. Among his ...

, graphic designer *2007 –

Jon Eikemo Jon Eikemo (30 November 1939 – 11 June 2025) was a Norwegian actor. He debuted on stage in 1961, and made his film debut in 1968. Career Education Eikemo studied theatre at Statens Teaterskole in Oslo from 1958, and further at the Royal Aca ...

, actor *2008 – Solveig Kringlebotn, opera singer *2009 –

Mari Boine Mari Boine (born Mari Brit Randi Boine; 8 November 1956) is a Norwegian Sámi singer. She combined a form of Sámi joik singing with rock. In 2008, she became a professor of musicology at Nesna University College. Biography Mari Boine was bo ...

, singer *2010 – Tor Åge Bringsværd, author *2011 – Inger Sitter, artist *2012 – Soon-Mi Chung and Stephan Barratt-Due, violinists *2013 – Anne Borg, dancer *2014 –

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

, poet *2015 – Artscape Nordland

References

*{{cite web , url=http://www.kulturradet.no/aeresprisen/vis-artikkel/-/aeresprisen-liste-over-prisvinnere , title=Kulturrådets ærespris , accessdate=2 July 2016 , website=kulturradet.no , language=Norwegian Awards established in 1968 Norwegian awards Lists of award winners 1968 establishments in Norway