9 people – 9 speeches – 9 visions for the future of culture.

This was the outcome when Nord55, in collaboration with KUNSTSILO – home to the world’s largest collection of Nordic modernism – invited prominent voices from across the Nordic region to reflect deeply on the future of culture and present their perspectives.

Each speech raised a wealth of fundamental questions that can – and should – help shape the cultural policy of the future.

The inspiration came from Kulturbrevet (“The Culture Letter”), a Norwegian document written by a group of leading cultural figures, including the writers Sigurd Hoel, Alex Brinchmann and Johan Borgen, towards the end of the Second World War in Norway. Entitled Vår kulturs fremtid (“The Future of Our Culture”), it was intended to lay the foundations for a robust cultural infrastructure.

The premise of the meeting became “a belief that art and its power of resistance are strong enough to change an entire country”, as Bernhard Ellefsen put it, referring to the often much-maligned tradition of cultural radicalism.

Although the speakers did not shy away from fierce criticism of any romantic notion of art as a lifeline in an increasingly bewildering world, the spirit in Kristiansand nevertheless seemed to embody the words of Hilde Rød Larsen:

“It is dark, but in art there is hope and possibility.”

Participants

Bernhard Ellefsen – Norwegian journalist, author, literary critic and prominent public commentator.

Jokum Rohde – Danish playwright and author.

Stefan Björkman – Finnish Director of the Amos Rex Foundation and the Amos Rex art museum in Helsinki.

Hilde Sandvik – Norwegian journalist and host of the podcast Norsken, Svensken og Dansken.

Benny Marcel – Swedish Chair of the Swedish Arts Grants Committee (Konstnärsnämnden).

Wenche Viktorsdatter Paulsen – Norwegian theatre director, Riksteatret, Norway.

Maria Mediaas Jørstad – Norwegian Director of Kunstsilo.

Hilde Rød Larsen – Norwegian author.

Martin Gelin – Swedish author and journalist.