Stiftelsen Litteraturhuset

Stiftelsen Litteraturhuset (the Litteraturhuset Foundation) is the independent, non-commercial foundation that operates Litteraturhuset in Oslo, described on its own website as "Europe's largest literature house." The foundation was established in 2006 on the initiative of the Fritt Ord foundation, and the house opened on 5 October 2007 at Wergelandsveien 29, in the old Oslo teachers' college building near the Royal Palace and the Slottsparken park. Its stated purpose is to spread interest in literature, reading, knowledge and freedom of expression to all age groups. The house is a national activity and culture centre focused on literature and books. It contains seven different meeting rooms, including a podcast room, and in the ground floor the foundation sublets premises to a bookshop and an eatery. The attic is fitted out with workspaces for authors, translators and other writers, and there is a small writers' apartment for visiting international guests. The building also houses offices for organisations such as Norsk PEN, Norsk forfattersentrum, Leser Søker Bok and Norsk Tidsskriftforening. The interior is decorated with several artworks, including a large wall drawing of caricature portraits of contemporary Norwegian authors by Steffen Kverneland. Litteraturhuset is inspired by the German tradition of Freie Literaturhaus, of which there are many in Germany and Eastern Europe. With its 3,500 square metres and high visitor numbers, the Oslo house is the largest literature house in Europe, and it has inspired the creation of independent literature houses in a number of Norwegian cities and abroad, including Kiraathane Istanbul and Wejegeh Amed in the Kurdish city of Diyarbakir. In 2008 the house had around 240,000 visitors, of whom roughly 70,000 attended some of its 700 events. Today it holds around 1,700 events a year, in addition to producing a broad range of free podcasts, videos and other digital content. It has a particular focus on reaching children and young people; in 2023 around 40,000 kindergarten children and school pupils took part in its various reading-promotion programmes. The house has been led by Aslak Sira Myhre from 2006 to 2014, by Andreas Wiese from 2014 to 2019, and by Susanne Kaluza from 2019. Anne Carine Tanum was chair of the board from the foundation's creation; as of January 2024 Mikkel Bugge was chair. The foundation had a turnover of a little over 18 million NOK in 2008, and it has always been a precondition that the house should not be a commercial enterprise. In its 2014 state budget, Erna Solberg's government proposed an operating grant to the foundation of three million kroner for the first time. The building was owned by Entra ASA until 2017, when it was sold to Institusjonen Fritt Ord, which had taken the initiative to establish Stiftelsen Litteraturhuset in 2006 and financed an extensive conversion of the house before it opened in 2007. The conversion was carried out by Askim and Lannto arkitekter in Oslo. In April 2008 Litteraturhuset received the Norwegian Society for the Preservation of Ancient Monuments' Cultural Heritage Prize for giving an old building a new and exciting content while taking conservation considerations into account. The building was listed (fredet) in 2013.

Stiftelsen Litteraturhuset was established in 2006 on the initiative of the Fritt Ord foundation, which also financed an extensive conversion of the building before it opened as Litteraturhuset in 2007. The house opened on 5 October 2007 at Wergelandsveien 29 in Oslo, in the building that had been erected by Indremisjonen and had housed Oslo lærerskole (Oslo Teachers' College) from 1932. The school was later merged with the public teachers' college at Sagene, which in turn became part of Oslo University College. The conversion was carried out by Askim and Lannto arkitekter in Oslo. In 2008 the house had around 240,000 visitors, of whom roughly 70,000 attended some of the 700 events held that year. In April 2008 Litteraturhuset received the Norwegian Society for the Preservation of Ancient Monuments' Cultural Heritage Prize for giving an old building a new and exciting content while taking conservation considerations into account. The foundation had a turnover of a little over 18 million NOK in 2008, and it has always been a precondition that the house should not be a commercial enterprise. The house was led by Aslak Sira Myhre from 2006 to 2014, by Andreas Wiese from 2014 to 2019, and by Susanne Kaluza from 2019. Anne Carine Tanum was chair of the board from the foundation's creation; as of January 2024 Mikkel Bugge was chair. In its 2014 state budget, Erna Solberg's government proposed an operating grant to the foundation of three million kroner for the first time. The building was owned by Entra ASA until 2017, when it was sold to Institusjonen Fritt Ord. The building was listed (fredet) in 2013. Litteraturhuset is inspired by the German tradition of Freie Literaturhaus, of which there are many in Germany and Eastern Europe. With its 3,500 square metres and high visitor numbers, the Oslo house is the largest literature house in Europe, and it has inspired the creation of independent literature houses in a number of Norwegian cities and abroad, including Kiraathane Istanbul and Wejegeh Amed in the Kurdish city of Diyarbakir. Today the house holds around 1,700 events a year, in addition to producing a broad range of free podcasts, videos and other digital content. It has a particular focus on reaching children and young people; in 2023 around 40,000 kindergarten children and school pupils took part in its various reading-promotion programmes.

• 2023

  Around 40,000 kindergarten children and school pupils take part in the house's reading-promotion programmes.

• 2017

  The building is sold from Entra ASA to Institusjonen Fritt Ord.

• 2014

  Erna Solberg's government proposes an operating grant of three million kroner to the foundation in the state budget.

• 2013

  The building is listed (fredet).

• 2008

  Around 240,000 visitors, of whom roughly 70,000 attended some of the 700 events; receives the Norwegian Society for the Preservation of Ancient Monuments' Cultural Heritage Prize in April.

• 2007

  Litteraturhuset opens on 5 October at Wergelandsveien 29, Oslo.

• 2006

  Stiftelsen Litteraturhuset established on the initiative of Fritt Ord.

Independent, non-commercial national centre for literature, reading, knowledge and freedom of expression; Europe's largest literature house.

• Event programme

  Around 1,700 literary and cultural events a year, including debates, author meetings and festivals.

• Norsk sakprosafestival

  A five-day festival devoted to the best Norwegian and translated non-fiction, with events and author meetings for children, young people and adults.

• Venue rental

  Seven meeting rooms, including a podcast room, available for seminars, launches, debates, workshops and social gatherings.

• Podcasts and digital content

  A broad range of free podcasts, videos and other digital content.

• Reading-promotion programmes

  Programmes for children and young people; around 40,000 kindergarten children and school pupils participated in 2023.

1. 1Litteraturhuset Oslo - Arrangementer, debatter og lokaler til leielitteraturhuset.no
2. 2Stiftelsen Litteraturhusetwikidata.org
3. 3Litteraturhuset i Oslono.wikipedia.org