Performing Landscapes Nordic-Baltic

Performing Landscapes Nordic-Baltic is a capacity building program which took place January-September 2024.

The main aim of Performing Landscapes Nordic-Baltic has been to map the changing and growing focus and orientation of the contemporary arts sector in the Nordic–Baltic region in the context of the climate crisis. In general, it is clear that we are witnessing a major shift internationally in this emerging field, which has implications and opportunities on many levels. In particular, our perspective is how this might open up opportunities for Danish artists and arts institutions in the context of the Nordic-Baltic region.

The project was planned as a pre-project, mapping the potential for a long–term strategic project. 

Performing Landscapes Nordic-Baltic consisted of three sets of activities:

1/ Meetings & workshops  

  • a series of online introduction meetings to start the process with 24 international participants  
  • 11 meetings and workshops located in the region with 65 participants 
  • a series of online meetings with 23 participants 

2/  Nordic-Baltic Lab (seminar) in Copenhagen, 16-19 August, with 38 partners & participants.

Among the most important conclusions from the meetings and the lab were: 

  • There is a clear need to have more structured interaction with other relevant fields to act as mentor and dialogue partner and to encourage flow of knowledge regarding climate shifts. This knowledge should be channnelled to the arts sector.
  • There is a potential to develop aesthetics and formats that can elicit a high level of public response. Qualitative research underline that perhaps the greatest impact the arts can have is to activate the sensorial and the imagination, thereby making the abstract extremely relevant and understandable.
  • There is a clear need for a common online platform to connect to, to meet with, to contribute to and learn from. As institutions and individuals engaged in this field are from different countries, different art genres and on different levels, there is a need to secure a common platform and to stimulate sharing and ongoing exchanges.

 

3/  Design and launch of an online platform prototype with participants in the project and others working in the interface of arts and ecology in the region. The platform includes around 185 artistic structures (artists collectives, festivals, institutions, research centres, digital platforms, residencies, and others). More input is gradually supplementing the platform. 

Participants meetings and workshops:

Kuopio, Finland: Elisa Itkonen/ Anti Festival, Sanna Hirvonen, Tarja Wallius, Jaana Kurttila, Sanni Kriikku, Aino Sares, Kim Taimio.

Helsinki, Finland: Tanya Eloranta/ Hoyhentamo (Hunter-Gatherers), Gabriela Ariana, Maria Nurmela, Jarko Partanen/ Wauhaus collective, Samuli Leino/ Wauhaus collective, Annika Tudeer, Heidi Mikki/ Acting for Climate, Eva Kemppi/ Other Spaces, Ville Kirjanen.

Tallinn, Estonia: Mari-Liis Rebane/ Maajaam & Wildbits, Kadri Lind/ UIT festival

Narva, Estonia: Gleb Kuznetsov/ NART, Marika Šarova/ NART

Kaunas, Lithuania: Martyna Žukaitė/ Kaunas chamber theatre, Tadas Stalyga, Romena Puikytė/  Švęskime upę, Edvinas Grinkevičius/ Kaunas Artist House

Oslo, Norway: Olive Bieringa/ BodyCartography Project, Tormod Carlsen/ Norwegian Landscape Theatre, Knut Ove Arntzen, James Ray Moore/ Østfold Internasjonale Teater, Kirstin Bergaust/ Oslojord Triennale, Mari LB Kamsvaag, Juni Dahr, Bára Sigfúsdóttir, Hege Knarvik Sande/ Performing Arts Hub Norway

Gdansk, Poland: Krzysztof Arszyn Topolski, Dominika Golebiewska, Monika Zawadzka, Agnieszka Wolodzko, Ula Zerek/ Nature of Us, Maciej Świniarski, Dana Chmielewska, Natalia Cyrzan/ Institute of City Culture, Magdalena Zakrewska Duda/ Baltic Sea Cultural Centre

Stockholm, Sweden: Gülbeden Kulbay, Edi Muka/ Public Art Agency Sweden, Anna Näsström/ Ongoing Realities, Johan Bandholtz/ Ongoing Realities, Martina Viglietti, Elisa Papageorgiou/ Intercult, Iwona Preis/ Intercult, Tina Eskilsson, Åsa Cederqvist, Stella d’Ailly/ Mossutställningar

Rīga, Latvia: Anna Bley, Inga Erdmane, Ieva Gaurilčikaitė Sants/ IevaKrish, Krišjānis Sants/ IevaKrish, Linda Boļšakova, Voldemārs Johansons
Beāte Poikāne, Agnese Bordjukova/ LAUKKU, Vika Eksta, Haralds Matulis, Santa Remere/ HomoNovus, New Theatre Institute Latvia, Solvita Krese/ Latvian Center for Contemporary Art, Aleksejs Beļeckis/ Savvaļa.

Participants online meetings:

Laura Reikila/ Piste Kolektiivi (FI), Miradonna Sirka/ Recover Laboratory (FI), Stue Wright/ The Mirror Institution (SE), Vespa Laine/ Fern Orchestra (FI), Laura Stašāne (LV), Alma Heikkilä (FI), Tarja Sahlstedt/ Rakkaudesta, OnLove (FI), Judita Strumilaite/ Šeiko company (LT), Jonatan Mattisson (SE), Sinna Virtanen (FI), Shahrzad Malekian/ TENTHAUS (NO), Rasmus Stenager Jensen/ KORDONair (EE), Krista Burāne (LV), Saulė Noreikaitė (LT), Emma Fält (FI), Marianne Skjeldal (NO), Inger-Reidun Olsen/ LATERNA (NO), Emelie Zilliacus/ Hangö Teaterträff (FI), Kamilla Kūna (LV) Evarts Melnalksnis (LV), Evgeny Goman/ Pikene Pa Broen (NO), Evelina Šimkutė/ Kultūros dirbtuvė (LT), Jon Irigoyen/ Social Choreography Lab (FI)

Participants lab in Copenhagen:

Denmark: Oliver Maxwell/ Bybi (DK), Katrine Faber/ Teater Viva (DK), Madeleine Kate McGowan/ Other Story (DK), Nadja Mattioli/ Beyond Darkness (DK) Nana Francisca Schottländer (DK), Rune Fjord (DK), Georg Jagunov (DK/BY), Tora Balslev/ Daily Fiction (DK), Sonja Winkelmann/ Wunderland (DK), Christine Fentz/ Secret Hotel (DK), Linh Le (DK),Thomas Seest (DK), Sara Gebran (DK), Vera Maeder/ Hello Earth (DK), Maria Viftrup (DK).

Norway: Ingvill Fossheim/ BioArt Society (NO), James Ray Moore/ Østfold Internasjonale Teater (NO), Otto Ramstad/ BodyCartography Project (NO/US), Tormod Carlsen/ Norwegian Landscape Theatre (NO).

Latvia: Krista Burāne (LV), Ieva Gaurilčikaitė Sants/ IevaKrish (LV), Krišjānis Sants/ IevaKrish (LV), Elīza Anna Reine/ Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art (LV), Linda Boļšakova (LV), Laura Stašāne/ Homo Novus festival (LV).

Finland: Emma Fält (FI),  Season Butler/ Anti Festival (FI), Tanja Eloranta/ Hunter-Gatherers (FI), Eeva Kempi/ Other Spaces (FI), Alma Heikkila/Mustarinda (FI), Vespa Laine/ Fern Orchestra (FI).

Estonia: Gleb Kuznetsov/ NART (EE),  Mari-Liis Rebane/ Maajaam, Wildbits (EE), Timo Toots / Maajaam, Wildbits (EE), Rasmus Staeger Jensen/ KORDONair (EE).

Lithuania: Edvinas Grinkevičius/ Kaunas Artist House (LT).

Poland: Ula Zerek/ Nature of Us (PL),

Performing Landscapes Nordic-Baltic has been supported by Udenrigsministeriet og Kulturministeriet, Slots- og Kulturstyrelsen.