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30th Anniversary of the Sten A Olsson Foundation

30th Anniversary of the Sten A Olsson Foundation

Since 1997, the foundation has invested nearly SEK 700 million in support of research and culture in Gothenburg and West Sweden. Several major initiatives are being undertaken during the 30th anniversary year, including support for the Gothenburg Dance and Theatre Festival, enabling it to offer a highly exciting international programme; a call for research projects on the mental health of children and young people; and SEK 40 million to Chalmers for the establishment of an international top professorship in Health Engineering.

Read more about the 25th anniversary celebrated by the Stena Foundation in 2021

I look back on the Stena Foundation's first 25 years with pride. We have had the privilege of following many interesting projects from idea to implementation in research, as well as numerous brilliant cultural initiatives. Behind each project are extremely committed and talented people. It has been fantastic to be able to bring their visions to life. Together, we have shared a motivation to reach out and make a difference for many people. Since we have our roots here in West Sweden, there has also a been a desire from the beginning to work as good citizens; to share and to give back when we have the opportunity.

Madeleine Olsson Eriksson, Chair of Sten A Olsson Foundation for Research and Culture
Scholarships

Culture scholarships 2025

Every year, the Sten A Olsson Foundation awards culture scholarships in several artistic disciplines such as performing arts – music, dance, theatre, circus – visual arts, literature and film.

Phax Ahamada

Trinidad Carrillo

Yukimi Nagano

Olle Norås

Malte Persson

Julia Sporsén

Read more
DANCER AND PERFORMING ARTIST
Phax Ahamada
ARTIST
Trinidad Carrillo
MUSICIAN
Yukimi Nagano
ARTIST
Olle Norås
AUTHOR
Malte Persson
OPERA SINGER
Julia Sporsén

Founded in 1996

The Sten A Olsson Foundation for Research and Culture was established in 1996 in connection with Sten A Olsson’s 80th birthday. By then, Sten A Olsson had been active in Gothenburg and West Sweden for more than half a century, laying the foundations for what is now the Stena Sphere, one of Sweden’s largest family-owned corporate groups.

The Sten A Olsson family has always had a strong interest in and commitment to supporting ambitious, creative people in their efforts to achieve their goals. The foundation’s purpose is to promote scientific research and development, as well as the arts and culture.

Up to and including 2021, the Stena Foundation had awarded a total of just over SEK 540 million in support for various projects, scholarships to 155 cultural scholarship recipients, and travel grants to 320 master’s scholarship recipients.