The Robespierre Prize is a Swedish cultural award, which is given out annually since 2010 and is funded by
Lasse Diding. The prize rewards a younger Swedish writer or artist who works in a critical spirit. In the years 2010–2017, the award winner was chosen by the
Jan Myrdal Society. In 2010–2015, the
Robespierre
Maximilien François Marie Isidore de Robespierre (; 6 May 1758 – 28 July 1794) was a French lawyer and statesman who became one of the best-known, influential and controversial figures of the French Revolution. As a member of the Esta ...
Prize was called "Jan Myrdal's small prize – the Robespierre Prize".
In 2016, the prize was called “Jan Myrdal Library's small prize – the Robespierre Prize.
The Robespierre Prize, which is worth SEK 25,000, would, when the Jan Myrdal Society selected the laureate, award a young, promising writer or artist who worked in Jan Myrdal's critical spirit. The prize money was SEK 10,000 in 2010–2021 and was raised to SEK 25,000 with the 2022 prize to Aleksej Sachnin.
The Robespierre Prize is given out simultaneously with the
Lenin Award.
In 2013, that year's laureate
Gabriela Pichler was criticized in the major Swedish newspaper
Dagens Nyheter
''Dagens Nyheter'' (, ), abbreviated ''DN'', is a daily newspaper in Sweden. It is published in Stockholm and aspires to full national and international coverage, and is widely considered Sweden's newspaper of record.
History and profile
' ...
for accepting an award named after
Robespierre
Maximilien François Marie Isidore de Robespierre (; 6 May 1758 – 28 July 1794) was a French lawyer and statesman who became one of the best-known, influential and controversial figures of the French Revolution. As a member of the Esta ...
. When the award went to Sápmi Sisters in 2016, the duo refused to accept because they considered Jan Myrdal to be homophobic.
During the period 2016–2018, the Jan Myrdal Society implemented a statutory change with the aim of separating the award from the person of
Jan Myrdal and from the Jan Myrdal Society.
As a first step, the award was referred to as “Jan Myrdal Library's small prize – the Robespierre Prize” in 2016 at Jan Myrdal's request. In 2017, the award was referred to solely as the "Robespierre Award". This change took several years to finish, as two AGM resolutions are required to amend the statutes of the Jan Myrdal Society.
Laureates
* 2010 –
Kajsa Ekis Ekman
* 2011 –
Martin Schibbye
* 2012 – Jenny Wrangborg
* 2013 –
Gabriela Pichler
* 2014 – Eija Hetekivi Olsson
* 2015 – Sara Beischer
* 2016 – Sápmi Sisters
* 2017 – Anna Roxvall
* 2018 – Henrik Bromander
* 2019 – Daria Bogdanska
* 2020 – David Ritschard
*2021 – Kalle Holmqvist
*2022 – Aleksej Sachnin
See also
*
The Lenin Award (Sweden)
*
Maximilien de Robespierre
*
Lasse Diding
References
{{Reflist
Swedish awards
Early career awards
Awards established in 2010