Kristian Ekenberg, culture editor at Gefle Dagblad, receives Dagens Nyheter's critic prize, Lagercrantzen. "With locally rooted education and a twinkle in his eye, he defends the freedom of art and criticism against the commissioners of the municipal cultural war", writes the jury.
The jury also highlights that he is always faithful to the fundamental mission of cultural journalism: to make both the small and the large world less square.
Interviewed in DN, Kristian Ekenberg emphasizes the importance of local journalism.
So much culture becomes invisible if local newspapers do not exist. It becomes much easier for politicians to continue shutting down theaters and cultural centers if no one protests. Local newspapers also create a sense of community in society, he says to DN.
The critic prize Lagercrantzen was established in 2011 by DN in memory of the newspaper's former editor-in-chief and culture editor Olof Lagercrantz. The prize amount is 20,000 kronor.
