The International Ibsen Award

The world’s most prestigious theatre awards aims to honour an individual, an institution or organisation that has brought a new artistic dimension to the world of drama or theatre.

The winner is decided by a committee and announced every two years on Ibsen’s birthday. The award ceremony takes place during the International Ibsen Festival at the National Theatre in Oslo in September. The winner is invited to take part in a symposium at the National Theatre during the festival. 

The prize and nominations

The Norwegian government founded the award in 2007 and funds it. The winner receives 2,5 million Norwegian kroner (approx. 300.000 US Dollars). There are no conditions attached to accepting the prize, and anyone can nominate candidates for the International Ibsen Award. Nominations are strictly confidential both before and after the prize winner is announced.

Previous winners

The International Ibsen Award was first awarded to the veteran theatre director Peter Brook in 2008. The prize has since been given to Ariane Mnouchkine of Théâtre du Soleil (2009), Jon Fosse (2010), Heiner Goebbells (2012), Peter Handke (2014), Forced Entertainment (2016), Christoph Marthaler (2018), Taylor Mac (2020) and Back to Back Theatre (2022).

Contact

The International Ibsen Award, c/o Nationaltheatret, Postboks 1225 Vika, 0110 Oslo, Norway

elisabeth.sodal@nationaltheatret.no | TLF: +47 416 71 280 
oystein.christensen@nationaltheatret.no | TLF: +47 480 30 073 

Collaborators

  • The Norwegian Ibsen Award

    The Norwegian Ibsen Award aims to promote Norwegian Drama. 

    Visit ibsenawards.com and read more about The Norwegian Ibsen AwardThe Ibsen Scholarship and Skien International Ibsen Conference.