Beckers Art Award has been presented every year since 1987 to young Swedish artists. The objective of the Award is to recognise and support pioneering creative voices in Sweden.
Ulf G. Lindén had a passionate interest in modern art and founded the Beckers Art Award in 1987. Many recipients have gone on to earn widespread recognition, among them Dan Wolgers (1989), Jockum Nordström (1999), Linn Fernström (2000) and Nathalie Djurberg (2006).
The selected artist receives SEK 200,000 and solo exhibitions at Färgfabriken in Stockholm and KKAM – Höganäs. Members of the jury are Jenny Lindén Urnes, Mårten Castenfors and Magnus Jensner.
Johan Carlsson Ström is the current holder of the Beckers Art Award. Johan is born in 1985 and works in Stockholm. He graduated in 2024 with a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Art from HDK-Valand.
Johan Carlsson Ström receives the 2026 Beckers Art Award for the reason that his artistic ambitions clearly show that painting as a medium manages to attract new interest and produce new means of expression with each new generation. He shows that paint can be used as both a figurative medium and a sculptural material, integrated with the actual image canvas. He also shows that painting itself generously welcomes a specific, personal impression from a highly talented artist. It is a style of painting that draws us into the labyrinth and puts us in touch with its diverse practice and rich history.
Read more about Johan Carlsson Ström as well as the full statement from the jury in Färgfabriken's press release.
Recipients of Beckers Art Award
2026 - Johan Carlsson Ström
2025 - Lisa Englund
2024 - Joakim Sandqvist
2023 - Jonatan Pihlgren
2022 - Laleh Kazemi Veisari
2021 - Youngjae Lih
2020 - Fredrik Åkum
2019 - Theresa Traore Dahlberg
2018 - Petra Hultman
2017 - Anna Camner
2016 - Tomas Lundgren
2015 - Julia Bondesson
2014 - David Molander
2013 - Sara Möller
2012 - Elin Behrens
2011 - Maria Nordin
2010 - Maurits Ylitalo
2009 - Per Mårtensson
2008 - Ulrika Sparre
2007 - Fredrik Hofwander
2006 - Nathalie Djurberg
2005 - Albin Karlsson
2004 - Patric Larsson
2003 - Magnus Larsson
2002 - Annika Larsson
2001 - Christian Partos
2000 - Linn Fernström
1999 - Jockum Nordström
1998 - Thomas Karlsson and Peter Geschwind
1997 - Karin Wikström
1996 - Peter Ojstersek and Richard G Carlsson
1995 - Maria Lindberg
1994 - Karin Granqvist and Ingela Johansson
1993 - Johan Widén
1992 - Ulf Rollof
1991 - Anders Widoff
1990 - Mats Caldeborg
1989 - Annette Senneby and Dan Wolgers
1988 - Mikael Ericsson
1987 - Kent Karlsson
