Cankar Award

Cankar Award
2020 Cankar Award Ceremony
Awarded for	Best new Slovenian novel
Sponsored by	Slovenian PEN Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts University of Ljubljana
Location	Vrhnika
Country	Slovenia
First award	2019
2024	Denis Škofič
Website	https://cankarjeva-nagrada.si/

The Cankar Award (Slovene : Cankarjeva nagrada) is a literary award established in 2019 by the Slovenian PEN, Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts and the University of Ljubljana. It is named after Ivan Cankar, Slovene writer, playwright, essayist, poet, and political activist. The first award was given in 2020. The Cankar Award honours the best original literary work in Slovenia, celebrating genres in which Ivan Cankar excelled. ^[1] The award initially consisted of a €5,000 prize and a diploma. ^[1] In 2024 the amount was increased to €7,000 . ^[2]

History

The award was established in 2019 with the firs one given in 2020 in Vrhnika. The inaugural nominees for the 2020 award were Vinko Möderndorfer, Sebastijan Pregelj, Simona Semenič and Brane Senegačnik. ^[3] The 2023 nominees were Katja Gorečan, Adriana Kuči, Mojca Kumerdej, Mirana Likar and Lado Kralj. ^[4]

Winners

Year	Photo	Author(s)	Novel	Finalists	Ref
2025		Barbara Korun	Vnazaj	Milan Dekleva, Lističi Feri Lainšček, Kurja fizika Nataša Kramberger, Po vsej sili živ Muanis Sinanović, Vse luči	[5]
2024		Denis Škofič	Tuskulum	Pia Prezelj, Težka voda Anja Mugerli, Pričakovanja Mateja Gomboc, Gorica Aleš Šteger, Na kraju zapisano	[6]
2023		Mojca Kumerdej	Gluha soba	Katja Gorečan, Materinsko knjižico Adriana Kuči, Ime mi je Sarajevo Lado Kralj, Ne bom se več drsal na bajerju Mirana Likar, Žensko hišo	[7]
2022		Simona Semenič	Tri igre za punce	Nina Dragičevič, To telo Dušan Šarotar, Zvezdna karta	[8]
2021		Gašper Kralj	Škrbine	Andrej Blatnik, Luknje Mirana Likar, Pripovedovalec Lucija Stepančič, Naj me kdo zbudi	[9]
2020		Sebastijan Pregelj	V Elvisovi sobi	Vinko Möderndorfer, Ljudomrznik na tržnici Simona Semenič, To jabolko, zlato Brane Senegačnik, Pogovori z nikomer

See also

• Slovene literature
• Prešeren Award

References

1. "Kdo so nominiranci za Cankarjevo nagrado, najboljše izvirno literarno delo preteklega let". Radiotelevizija Slovenija. 22 April 2021. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
2. "Cankarjeva nagrada za najboljše literarno delo Denisu Škofiču za pesniško zbirko Tuskulum". Radiotelevizija Slovenija. 30 May 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
3. Igor Bratož (23 April 2020). "Nagrada, ki je doslej manjkala". Delo . Retrieved 5 January 2025.
4. "Nominiranci za Cankarjevo nagrado: "Gre za odlične, pogumne in čustveno intenzivne knjige"". Radiotelevizija Slovenija. 20 April 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
5. "Pesnica Barbara Korun prejemnica Cankarjeve nagrade". Dnevnik (Slovenia). 29 May 2025. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
6. "Cankarjeva nagrada Denisu Škofiču za pesniško zbirko Tuskulum". N1 (TV channel). 30 May 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
7. "Cankarjeva nagrada Mojci Kumerdej za kratke zgodbe Gluha soba". N1 (TV channel). 7 May 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
8. "Cankarjeva nagrada dramatičarki Simoni Semenič za Tri igre za punce". N1 (TV channel). 8 May 2022. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
9. "Cankarjeva nagrada Gašperju Kralju za roman Škrbine". Siol. 30 May 2021. Retrieved 5 January 2025.