Conditions for young artist participants:
- Deadline: 1st April.
- Applicants must be invested in the question of artistic freedom of speech, and to be prepared to work with this in the future.
- Participation and meals are covered by the municipality of Kristiansand.
- Accommodation covered by Fluks / trafo.no
- Travel to be covered by Bjcem members.
Important information - workshop and program:
The municipality of Kristiansand is organizing an international forum for artistic freedom of speech during the Democracy week in May 2025. The call goes out to artists that are anchored in an organization/network which can facilitate further work after the forum. Just as important is their motivation for this type of commitment and follow-up afterwards. The aim is to invite in total 5-7 international artists and the same amount of local or regional artists.
During the forum, there will be a 2-day workshop held by renowned authorities on democratic frameworks, Sverre Pedersen and Sara Whyatt from Freemuse.
The artists, the workshop and Democracy week
Our ambition with this workshop is to create a long-term effect. Those who participate will be inspired to get involved in the work to defend artistic freedom after they have participated in this workshop. It is important that those who are selected as participants have an anchoring in an organization or network/environment that they can use as a platform for further work.
It is important for the holders of the workshop to know the motive of the people that are chosen as participants, and not least to know their motivation for participating. The selection of the workshop participants must be well thought out, both with regard to the workshop itself and, not least, the follow-up and work after the workshop.
After the workshop, the participants will be able to present their results and findings both at the European Conference on Democracy and Human Rights www.europakonferansen.no and during the after party that is being organised for the artistic field in Kristiansand. The main objective is finally to gather artists, inspire and empower them to defend their artistic freedom.
Some themes from the workshop
- Rights and protections enshrined in the international conventions.
- Important trends and challenges artistic freedom faces in a polarized world, where democracy and human rights are under increasing pressure and where an ever-increasing part of the world's population lives under authoritarianism.
- Freemuse methodologies on documentation and monitoring of violations of artistic freedom
- Examples of collaborations on periodic reports to the UN and elaboration on pro and cons.
- How can we continue working together to defend artistic freedom.
Tentative Program: subject to change
Friday
Arrivals
- 12:00 – 14: 00 Guided tour of Kristiansand for early arrivals.
- 14:00 – 16:00 Reading and workshop on democracy, conflict and media. University of Agder.
- 18:00 – 20:00 Dinner at Kunstsilo with a guided tour of the museum afterwards.
- After dinner: Democracy Club at the Foajeen
Saturday
- 08:00 – (Voluntary) Swim at the outdoor sauna Blaud in Nodeviga
- 10:00 – 18:00 Workshop on artistic freedom of speech by Freemuse. In between there will be artist atelier meeting and lunch.
- 19:00 - Shared dinner
- After dinner: Democracy Club at the Foajeen
Sunday
- 08:30 - Refreshing outdoor walk around Odderøya, going along the lighthouse grabbing coffee and waffles
- 10:00 – 18:00 Workshop on artistic freedom of speech by Freemuse. In between there will be artist atelier meeting and lunch.
- 19:00 - Shared dinner
- After dinner: Democracy Club at the Foajeen
Monday
- European Conference, with presentation of results from the strategic forum
- Evening (party) program at Christiansholm Fortress, with presentation of results from the forum.
- Suggested pastime activity: walk the art route along the seaside promenade.
Tuesday
Departure
Collaborators
The municipality is collaborating with the county of Agder about the program for the forum as well as the workshop.