This past spring, Fritt Ord invited applications for grants of NOK 60 000 each for debates and discussions based on contemporary non-fiction and fiction literature. The Foundation received 107 applications, and has decided to award funding to 40 of the applicants. Altogether, MNOK 2.3 will be divided among libraries all across the country.

The Fritt Ord Foundation has given priority to projects that are innovative, and has tried to select projects that represent the full range of promotional activities. The projects receiving support will be promoting literature through panel discussions, lectures, talks with writers and discussion fora.

Examples of projects receiving support:

Jølster Library, “Horse sense”
Programme series with “lectures and discussions about non-fiction publications on topics related to the agricultural development and rural communities”.

Nydalen Branch, Deichman Library, “Dystopia for optimists”
Talks with writers and social commentators on topics such as the consequences of climate change, reality literature, and striving for perfection and the pressure of expectations.

Ringerike Library and Hole Library, “Norwegian enough?”
Talks about contemporary non-fiction publications on topics such as Norwegian taboos, integration and refugee issues.

Tønsberg and Færder Library, “The Legacy of Bjørneboe”
Six meetings on miscarriages of justice and on due process in Norway, where well-known cases will be presented and discussed by writers, journalists and lawyers.

This invitation from the Fritt Ord Foundation was intended to encourage the innovative promotion of language and literature, and to strengthen public libraries as communications arenas. The projects will be carried out in autumn 2018 or in 2019.

Read more about the scheme.

Contact: Oskar Kvasnes, Fritt Ord Foundation,
Tel: +47 230 14644, mobile: +47 408 53370

Applications granted, Let’s talk about it

Andøy Public Library, “Timely Topics”

Askøy Public Library, “Social media and freedom of expression”

Bærum Library, “The novel meets non-fiction and research”

Deichman Library, Main Library, “Conditions”

Eidsberg Library, “Women’s stories”

Farsund Library, “The power of the word”

Finnmark County Library, “The literature, the location and the reality”

Fræna Public Library, “The Great Migrations Then, Now and in Future”

Akershus County Library, “Literature at war!”

Gjøvik Library and the House of Literature, “Culture Dowagers”

Gloppen Public Library, “The ants in the soil”

Hardanger Library represented by Odda Library, “Conditions for family living in restless times”

Haugesund Public Library, “Debate list”

Hordaland County Municipality, “The squeeze – a series of programmes about young people and pressure”

Hå Public Library, “Below the surface”

Jølster Library, “Horse sense”

Kristiansand Public Library, “Literary debate”

Kristiansund Library, “Kristiansund – City of Mystery”

House of Literature Lillehammer, “The debate series ‘Most definitely human’”

Majorstuen Branch, Deichman Library, “Taboo, you said?”

Narvik Library, “War and peace and stuff”

Norwegian Authors’ Centre Northern Norway, “What is Sámi literature?”

Nydalen Branch, Deichman Library, “Dystopia for optimists”

Osterøy Library, “Meetings about pensions”

Ringerike Library and Hole Library, “Norwegian enough?”

Ringsaker Library, “Letter to a daughter”

Risør Library, “Tendencies in our time”

Bård Kjøge Rønning and Tøyen Branch, Deichman Library, “Tøyen Forum”

Samnanger Public Library, “Drawing boundaries”

Sandnes Library, “Timely debate”

Seljord Library, “Library – cultural centre – local newspaper”

Sogndal Library, “Let the bee buzz”

Stange Library, “What makes popular literature so popular?”

Stryn Library, “Log on to life”

Trøndelag County Library, “Maren Uthaug, Danish-Trønder Sámi”

Tysvær Public Library, “Talks with meaning”

Tønsberg and Færder Library, “The Legacy of Bjørneboe”

Vaksdal Public Library, “Debate of the month at the library”

Østre Public Library, “Voices”

Ålesund Library, events on religion, disease, food and health