The Award

The Cankar Award, a tribute to the great Slovenian writer Ivan Cankar (1876–1918), is awarded annually for the best original literary work of the past year, published as an individual book in Slovenian language. The award-winning work can be from any area of Cankar’s creative opus (a poetry collection, a novel, a drama, a collection of short stories or essays). 

The award was established in September 2019 by the Slovenian PEN Centre, the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SAZU), The University of Ljubljana, and the Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts (ZRC SAZU). It is awarded in spring – close to the artist’s birthday (May 10).

The donator of the Cankar Award is the Municipality of Vrhnika.

Announcements

Award Winners

Cankar Award 2024

Denis Škofič: Tuskulum. Ljubljana: Cankarjeva založba, 2023.


Cankar Award 2023

Mojca Kumerdej: Gluha soba. Novo mesto: Goga, 2022.


Cankar Award 2022

Simona Semenič: Tri igre za punce. Ljubljana: Beletrina, 2021.


Cankar Award 2021

Gašper Kralj: Škrbine. Ljubljana: *cf, 2020.


Cankar Award 2020

Sebastijan Pregelj: V Elvisovi sobi. Novo mesto: Založba Goga, 2019.

The Board and the Jury

The Board

The Board (2025-2029) is composed of five members – representatives of the co-founding institutions:

  • Helena Kraljič, representative of PEN Slovenia (President)
  • Nina Ditmajer Prando, representative of ZRC SAZU – Scientific Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts (Vice President)
  • Nina Šenk Kosem, representative of SAZU – Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts
  • Namita Subiotto, representative of the University of Ljubljana
  • Jasmina Spahalić, representative of the Municipality of Vrhnika

    Contact email: cankarjeva.nagrada@zrc-sazu.si

    Former Board members: Marko Golja, Marijan Dović, Alojzija Zupan Sosič, Sonja Žakelj.

The Jury

The members of the Jury (in alphabetical order):

  • Igor Divjak
  • Alenka Koron
  • Mateja Pezdirc Bartol
  • Diana Pungeršič (substituted in 2024 by Simona Semenič)
  • Tomaž Toporišič

Former Jury members: Matej Bogataj, Ana Geršak, Niko Grafenauer, Darja Pavlič, Alja Predan, Ivan Verč.