The Fritt Ord Foundation
The Fritt Ord Foundation is a private non-profit foundation that seeks to promote freedom of expression, public debate, art and culture.
“This documentary is not for the faint of heart” New grants awarded in September 2025.
Integral Film has been given grant for the production of the documentary “Rehearsal for Justice” by Palestinian filmmaker Dalia AlKury. “The film is not for the faint of heart,” says the director. See all the projects that received funding in September 2025.
Free Media Awards for 2025
The Fritt Ord Foundation and the ZEIT Stiftung Bucerius hereby announce that the Free Media Awards for 2025 will be presented to media outlets and journalists from Ukraine, Georgia, Hungary, Russia, Belarus and Azerbaijan
Greater diversity among journalists results in greater diversity among sources
A recently published report reveals biases in who is allowed to participate in the public debate. According to a new report from Retriever commissioned by the Fritt Ord Foundation, men who have Nordic names dominate both as sources and journalists in Norwegian media. Women, younger people and people with foreign names are less likely to be included. This is true both as interviewees and as authors of articles. That being said, greater diversity among journalists results in greater diversity among sources.
Eirin Larsen and Hadia Tajik join the Fritt Ord Board
Eirin Larsen (36) and Hadia Tajik (42) bring valuable experience from journalism, technology, politics and jurisprudence to the Fritt Ord Board.
Making the film «Farouk» – on the geologist that secured Norway its oil
Geologist Farouk Al-Kasim joined the the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate in 1968, shaping Norwegian petroleum resource management for decades afterwards. Now, documentary film director Halkawt Mustafa and producer Janne Hjeltnes are making a film about Al-Kasim’s life and reflections.
“Farouk tells me something in this film that he has not talked about before, because he has always told the version he feels Norway wanted to hear,” recounts Mustafa, who has Iraqi roots himself.
Read the interview with the director and see the list of grants awarded by Fritt Ord in June 2025.
Bård Vegar Solhjell new chair of the Fritt Ord Board
Bård Vegar Solhjell (53) has taken over as the new chair of the Fritt Ord Foundation Board.
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Application portal
The Fritt Ord Foundation’s new application portal is now available.
Grants
The Fritt Ord Foundation is a private non-profit foundation that aspires to promote freedom of expression, public debate, art and culture. The projects that receive funding should benefit the Norwegian public and be accessible to all. In special cases, the Fritt Ord Foundation can help promote freedom of expression in other countries.
Prizes
Projects
Fritt Ord's Monitoring Project: The Status of Freedom of Expression in Norway (2013–2026)
The first comprehensive review of the status of freedom of expression in Norway was made in connection with the Freedom of Expression Commission’s report in 1999. Since then, a number of events and more fundamental developments have impacted the conditions for freedom of expression in Norway. ‘Fritt Ord’s Monitoring Project: The Status of Freedom of Expression in Norway’ offers a comprehensive assessment of the status of freedom of expression in Norway from 2013 to 2026.
International Projects
Fritt Ord takes part in a number of joint projects outside the borders of Norway, primarily related to freedom of the press, democracy building and the strengthening of organisations of civil society.
Documentary Photography
Over the years, Fritt Ord has worked to strengthen the position of documentary photography through special calls for applications for funding, providing ongoing support for photo books and exhibitions, and establishing projects like The Norwegian Journal of Photography.
Research
Fritt Ord has taken the initiative for several research projects on freedom of expression that have been conducted by various Norwegian research communities. Among other things, the studies have examined social norms and political tolerance in respect of statements, online harassment and polarisation, artistic freedom of expression and freedom of expression in the workplace.
Libraries, Encyclopaedia, and Houses of Literature
Fritt Ord has launched various initiatives related to the communication of knowledge and the promotion of literature, including an annual subsidy scheme earmarked for Norwegian public libraries. In 2005, the Foundation took the initiative to establish Norway’s first house of literature and, in 2010, to ensure the further operation of Store norske leksikon.
Media and Journalism
Since its inception, Fritt Ord has had media and journalism as one of its core target areas. In today’s demanding media situation, the Foundation has set up separate grant and subsidy schemes for journalists and critics.
Young People and Students
Fritt Ord offers grants for students working on master’s theses or on documentary films in fields such as human rights, journalism, freedom of expression and democracy building. It also hosts the Fritt Ord Foundation Competition for Upper Secondary Schools and the Norwegian Historical Society’s competition for pupils.
Publications
Books and reports published by the Fritt Ord Foundation, alone or with partners.