Copenhagen Library, Black Diamond, Copenhagen Royal Library, Denmark, interior
North Jutland’s word and literature festival Ordkraft has been held since 2011 in Aalborg. It aims to empower free speech and gives space to literature with spirit, soul and wit. Over three days in April the audience is invited to meet established authors and artists and to explore the potential of literature in local and global dimensions.
The Verdenslitteratur på Møn festival is a small festival, which has taken place once or twice a year since 2000 as a concentrated weekend event in autumn on the island Møn. The festival was awarded the 2016 Cultural Prize from Lollands Bank for creating an ambitious event focusing on a unique meeting between author and audience. The festival differs from similar events by having the same authors perform all three days in a row, where their works are discussed through a series of interviews with different focal points.
LiteratureXchange is an international literature festival held in June in Aarhus, Denmark. The program consists of more than 150 events ranging from literary walks and concerts to traditional readings and debates. LiteratureXchange presents international and Danish authors, talks between researchers and authors about international topics, and different offbeat activities all over the city.
Established in 1992, the Bogforum is annually held in November at the Bella Center in Copenhagen. Bogforum gathers book lovers, authors and publishers for a weekend filled with debates, entertainment, talks, poetry slams and all kinds of events for young and old visitors. There are various prizes awarded on the occasion of the book fair. The festival aims to bring people into an exchange through literature.
The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art’s literary festival Louisiana Literature celebrates quality literature from countries all over the world. Annually in August the museum presents literature in interviews, dialogues, readings, performances and musical interpretations in Humlebæk over a period of 2 days.
Since 1993, the best fiction debut of the year has been voted at Bogforum. With the award, Bogforum wants to raise awareness of strong, new names in Danish literature. In addition to a financial incentive of DKK 50,000 to continue the authorship, the prize also attracts extra attention from the press, bookstores and readers, which can help a promising authorship further.
The Danish Academy is an independent institution whose purpose is to promote Danish language and culture especially concerning literature. The Academy awards a Literary Prize endowed with 300,000 DKK. The Den Store Pris is considered the country’s most distinguished recognition of an authorship.
De Gyldne Laurbær is a Danish literary prize annually awarded in March by the Boghandlerklubben (Danish Booksellers’ Club) in the field of fiction since 1949. The winner is determined by postal vote by the affiliated Danish Booksellers. The prize is currently endowed with 10,000 DKK and a book gift worth 2,500 DKK.
DR (Danish Broadcasting Corporation) is Danmark’s oldest and largest electronic enterprise with the core task of contributing to Danish culture and strengthening communities in Denmark. The DR Novel Prize has been awarded since 1999. Novels by Danish writers are nominated by an editorial team from the Danish radio station DR P2. The presentation of the award, which is endowed with 25,000 DKK, will also be broadcast on radio.
The Danish Translators’ Association’s Honorary Prize is a literary prize established in 1945 and administered by the Danish Arts Foundation, the Danish Arts Council and the Danish Arts Agency. The prize honors a translation which, by excellent reproduction of one or more important foreign works, has enriched Danish literature, and is usually awarded in February each year.
The Danish Academy is an independent institution that aims to contribute to Danish language and spirit, especially concerning literature. Awards are an essential part of the Academy’s field of work.
The Academy’s Translator Award was established in 1988 and honors a high-quality translation of literary works from foreign languages into Danish. The prize is endowed with 50,000 DKK.
Det Danske Forfatter- og Oversættercenter (The Danish Writers’ and Translators’ Centre), which lives for rent in the state-owned manor house Hald Hovedgaard, offers established Danish writers, translators and illustrators free scholarships at Hald Hovedgaard in either the Main Building, the Chapel or the Blacksmith House. On an annual basis, authors, translators or illustrators are awarded approximately 240 scholarships at Hald Hovedgaard.
The Danish Arts Foundation aims to spread the arts to a wide audience in Denmark and to promote Danish art internationally. The Foundation is involved in the residencies in terms of funding. This means that all decisions for awarding of a residency in any of the places are made exclusively by the individual venues. All the residencies operate with regular open calls. The Danish Arts Foundation supports different kinds of residencies for artists in different locations.
