The Queen Sonja Print Award

The Queen Sonja Print Award seeks to generate interest in and promote the development of graphic art. The award is the world's largest in this field.

A dream come true. This is how Her Majesty Queen Sonja herself has described the establishment of the Queen Sonja Print Award. After supporting art and culture for several decades, the Queen had the opportunity to establish her own scholarship to support graphic art.

The Foundation was established in 2011, and the Queen Sonja Nordic Art Award was presented for the first time 14 June 2012. It was a Nordic art award and the candidates originated from the five Nordic countries. When the award was presented for the second time, in 2014, the Queen announced that the award was to become an international disitiction and the name was changed to the Queen Sonja Print Award. A new website was launched promoting the award.

Queen Sonja on art, print making and the Queen Sonja Print Award. Photo: Proudfoot / QSPA

The Queen Sonja Print Award

Every other year the foundation presents the Queen Sonja Print Award. To our our knowledge, the QSPA is the world’s largest graphic art award.

Queen Sonja presents Queen Sonja Print Award 2022 to the French-Moroccan artist Yto Barrada. Photo: Sven Gj. Gjeruldsen, The Royal Court

The QSPA Inspirational Award

The QSPA Inspirational Award is presented to a young and promising Scandinavian artist every other year. Recipients are offered a residency at printmaking workshops and exhibitions, both in collaboration with other artists affiliated with QSPA and individually.

The award was launched on October 1, 2014, as the Kjell Nupen Memorial Grant. It was later renamed the QSPA Inspirational Award.

In 2022, the Queen had the honor of presenting the award to the Sámi artist Meerke Vekterli. Photo: Javad Parsa / NTB.

The QSPA Lifetime Achievement Award

In 2018 the QSPA Lifetime Achievement Award was presented for the first time. The Award celebrates an artist’s career and lifetime contribution to graphic art and printmaking.

The first QSPA Lifetime Achievement Award was presented the British artist David Hockney for his distinguished contribution to the art of printmaking.

Queen Sonja with Emma Nishimura and David Hockney at the 2018 Award Ceremony. Photo: Nina Rangøy / NTB scanpix

QSPA Bispevika

In January 2021 the gallery QSPA Bispevika opened in Oslo. The gallery showcases and sells prints from selected artists, and also displays works by Her Majesty The Queen. The purpose of the venue is to create a space where graphic art is made accessible to a wider audience.

Organisation

The Foundation for the Queen Sonja Nordic Art Award was established on 14 January 2011 by Her Majesty The Queen in cooperation with artists Kjell Nupen, Ørnulf Opdahl and Ole Larsen.

The four founders at work. Photo: Rolf M. Aagaard, the Royal Court

The foundation’s capital

In 2010, in cooperation with Norwegian artists Kjell Nupen and Ørnulf Opdahl and Atelje Larsen in Sweden, Her Majesty The Queen embarked on a project entitled Tre reiser – tre landskap (“Three journeys – three landscapes”). The Queen, Kjell Nupen and Ørnulf Opdahl created a collection of graphic prints to be put on sale. All proceeds from the sale of the prints went to the Foundation for the Queen Sonja Nordic Art Award and constitues - along with other gifts and contributions - the foundation’s capital.

Please visit the website of the Queen Sonja Print Award for further information about the foundation, its board and its projects.

The Queen Sonja Print Award

QSPA