Arendalsuka: Putting Dance on the Agenda
During Arendalsuka, we met with partners and key cultural stakeholders to discuss the conditions for dance, diversity, and the role of dance in Norwegian cultural life.
“Arendalsuka delivered. We had several meetings with the regional dance centers and other important institutions and interest organizations. We also met with several politicians who are key to the arts and cultural sector. There is no doubt that meeting and working together is important if we are to strengthen the dance sector,” says Arnhild Staal Pettersen, Artistic and Managing Director of DansiT.
Working together for better conditions for dance
Different organizations and institutions within the dance sector came together to share experiences, discuss challenges, and explore what we can do collectively to strengthen dance’s position.
We want to work towards:
- better working conditions for dance artists
- strengthening artistic practices and careers
- greater diversity
- making dance accessible to more people
Cultural policy needs clearer direction
We also attended the Culture Day at Arendalsuka, featuring debates on framework conditions, venues, diversity, visibility, and the status of the cultural sector.
Erik Henningsen, Research Director at OsloMet, spoke about a fragmented cultural sector, while also pointing to the close relationship between political decision-makers and stakeholders in the field. He also highlighted the low status of the cultural sector and funding schemes that are too often shaped by individual decisions rather than by a clear and long-term strategy.
Different solutions – a shared ambition
Politicians and cultural stakeholders shared different perspectives on the future of cultural policy. Bente Estil (Labour Party) highlighted the importance of culture across the country and strong public funding, while Haagen Poppe (Conservative Party) called for greater transparency and more private funding. Joakim Aadland (Balansekunst) emphasised that diversity must be an integral part of cultural policy – not a side project.
Culture for whom?
A new survey from Virke shows that 67 per cent of those who participate in cultural activities have a bachelor’s or master’s degree, highlighting the need to make culture more accessible and relevant to a wider audience.
There is reason for optimism, however: six in ten say they would like to experience more culture. The interest is there – and we will continue the work already underway to make culture accessible to more people.
