The Carnegie Art Award was founded in 1998 to support skilled artists born or living in the Nordic countries. The Award started as an annual event, but since 2004 it takes place biennially.

The Carnegie Art Award consists of a major exhibition, an extensive book, a film portraying the artists, and awards to four of the participating artists. The works are selected by a jury, chaired by Lars Nittve, Director of Moderna Museet, Stockholm. The exhibition tours the capitals of the five Nordic countries and London.  

The Carnegie Art Award is one of the largest art prizes in the world, presenting awards of SEK 1,000,000, 600,000 and 400,000 respectively to three of the participating artists, and a scholarship of SEK 100,000 to a young artist.

In connection with the award ceremony, the winners receive a miniature version of the sculpture “Elliptical Cone” by Jene Highstein, New York. The original, in black diabase and weighing seven tonnes, is placed at the corner of Birger Jarlsgatan and Smålandsgatan in central Stockholm. 

For the Carnegie Art Award 2008, 143 artists were nominated. From these the jury selected a group of 26 artists to participate in the exhibition.

Torsten Andersson (b. 1926), Sweden, is the first-prize winner of the Carnegie Art Award 2008. The second prize goes to Jesper Just (b. 1974), Denmark, and John Kørner (b. 1967), also from Denmark, is the winner of the third prize. The scholarship for a young artist goes to Swedish Nathalie Djurberg (b. 1970). The artists received the awards at the inauguration of the exhibition at Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art in Helsinki on October 25, 2007. 

 www.carnegieartaward.com