Danish Academy
Danish Academy is an independent organisation founded in 1960 by a circle of Danish intellectuals "to promote Danish esprit and language, especially within the field of literature". It has up to 20 members, currently 18, and is based at Rungstedlund, the former home of author Karen Blixen who was one of the original members. The Academy runs a number of annual literary prizes including most notably its Grand Prize. History. Danish Academy was founded on 28 November 1960 at the initiative of the author Karl Bjarnhof and the art historian Christian Elling with originally 12 members. Apart from  Bjarnhof and Elling, they were Kjeld Abell, Karen Blixen, Hans Brix, Thorkild Bjørnvig, H.C. Branner, Agnes Henningsen, Tom Kristensen, Jacob Paludan, Paul V. Rubow and Knud Sønderby. On 28 February 1961 the number was increased to 16 and in 1964 it was changed to a maximum of 20. Jens Smærup Sørensen succeeded Jørn Lund as secretary in 2006.