Oslo. Theatre maker, composer and video artist Jaha Koo received the International Ibsen Award 2026 at the Nationaltheatret in Oslo on 26 September.
According to the jury’s citation, Koo receives the International Ibsen Award for “his innovative and deeply human theatre.”
“The theatre he creates is quiet and yet deeply political. It cuts through the ideological noise and speaks directly to our shared human experience,” says Ingrid Lorentzen, Chair of the International Ibsen Award Jury and Artistic Director of the Norwegian National Ballet.
Born in 1984, Koo is the youngest recipient of the International Ibsen Award and the first laureate of Asian heritage.
The International Ibsen Award is the world’s largest theatre prize and is often referred to as the “Nobel Prize of Theatre.” Established by the Norwegian government in 2007, it is awarded every two years without restrictions on genre or nationality. The award honours individuals, institutions and organisations that have brought a new artistic dimension to theatre.
The laureate receives NOK 2.5 million and is selected by an international committee. Previous recipients of the International Ibsen Award include renowned artists and theatre companies such as Lola Arias, Back to Back Theatre, Taylor Mac, Christoph Marthaler, Forced Entertainment, Peter Handke, Peter Brook, Ariane Mnouchkine, Heiner Goebbels and Jon Fosse.
Photo credit: Rikke Løe Hovdal
