The Actors' Union in conversation with Kloden theater
November 7, 2025
Hina Zaidi chatted with Artistic Director Ådne Sekkelsten on how the theatre house Kloden theatre can help strengthen the free performing arts field during yesterday's Pi*s & Preik at Kloden .
The Actors' Association's circle in Oslo and the surrounding area took the initiative to have a conversation about the new theater house. Kloden theater with Artistic Director Ådne Sekkelsten. For those who made the trip to Pilotscenen , got the representative of the Actors' Association's Oslo and surrounding area, Hina Zaidi, to delve into what the visions are for the new theater house, how it can benefit actors in the independent performing arts field, what the biggest challenges are going forward and what Kloden theatre can offer what Oslo lacks.
Hina:
– How did the idea come about? Kloden theater, and what need did you want to answer?
Breathe:
– Over the last 20–25 years, performing arts for children and young people have developed tremendously in Norway. Around 2014–2015, at the 20th anniversary of the Norwegian Performing Arts Association, we began to ask: What are we doing now to take the field further? Kloden The theatre was to become a home for performing artists, a place where young and established artists could meet, rehearse, develop and show work. A place for meetings, rehearsal rooms and professional community.
– Kloden The theatre will be a national stage for performing arts for children and young people, and a theatre house for children and young people in Oslo. Our vision is to be a place for performing arts for young people and a place that facilitates exploration and innovation. Our entire history comes from the free performing arts field. Kloden theatre grew out of a need we saw over ten years ago, namely to create a place for performing arts for children and young people that could bring together artists, producers and audiences in one place.
Hina:
– What can Kloden theater offer that Oslo lacks?
Breathe:
– There have been several good initiatives in recent years, but when we built the house we are in now during the pandemic in 2020, we saw how great the demand is for good rehearsal rooms and production facilities. Many project-based companies need places to produce, test and show work. We want to have two full-fledged production rooms, where companies can work intensively for several weeks at a time, with everything they need available.
Hina:
– Kloden theatre is a programming theatre, not a producing one. What is the difference, and why did you choose that model?
Breathe:
– A producing theatre has permanent artists and creates its own productions. A programming theatre collaborates with many different artists and companies and curates a varied programme. As a programming theatre, we do not produce the performances ourselves, that is what the artists who come here do. We facilitate, support and programme the performances in the house. This gives us flexibility and allows for a number of different voices to be present. We will have a broad offering where we select and, not least, seek out tips and input from you in the field on what can be shown here.
Being a programming theater gives you freedom, and we want that Kloden theater must be as diverse and artistically broad a place as possible. And at the same time be a place for artistic risks.
Hina:
– Who will work on a permanent basis? Kloden theater when the house is finished?
Breathe:
– We will have a small but solid staff of perhaps around 15 full-time equivalents, in addition to theatre hosts and café staff. In comparison, we now have 8 employees in the administration. In the theatre there will be an administration, technical staff, people for the café and rentals, and someone who works with communications, and of course the development of artistic and professional programmes. We have budgeted for a very efficient operation. It has proven to be smart to have this Pilotscenen . Here we have tested out what the needs are through what works and what doesn't work over the last five years. We will quadruple the activity in the new theater, while the administration only needs to double to run the place.
Hina:
– How can actors or performing artists contact you if they want to collaborate?
Breathe:
Just get in touch! Send an email with a project description, an idea or video. We are a small community, so a lot of it is also about meeting at events, screenings and workshops. Kloden will also be a meeting place, where artists can connect and new projects can arise.
– We are also working on a project we call Generator which will support new performing artists who are in an early phase, and help with applications, connect artists and producers and offer rehearsal spaces.
Hina:
– Do you also want to be a meeting place, both for artists and for children and young people?
Breathe:
– We want that Kloden The theatre should be a place where you can come, hang out, have lunch, meet people and participate in workshops, for example. For young people, we want to create a “third place” between home and school. Young people should be able to come by to do homework in the café, be creative, or just be present in an environment characterized by art and culture, and maybe they will see some theatre too. We have tested such projects, including an EU project with theatres in Germany, on how theatre houses can be safe social meeting places. Libraries have become good at this. We want to be open during holidays, and arrange workshops, exhibitions, drive-in cinemas, and give Norwegian and foreign companies residencies, where they can also help hold workshops and the like for children and young people.
– For the performing arts field, we are organizing, among other things, a New Year's party on January 16th, everyone in the field is welcome. We will continue with events such as Pi*s and Preik on Kloden , have both permanent and temporary office space, and be as open a house as possible. We will have a large lunch room in addition to the café, which will be the hub for everyone who works at the house. That the artists meet is a central idea with the house.
Hina:
– What challenges do you see ahead?
Breathe:
– First and foremost, finances. We have received a lot of support, but it is demanding to operate a new house. The area around Økern is undergoing major development, and it will take time before the 100,000 new residents move in. But we already see that many people are using the house. We had over 17,000 visitors last year.
– Another challenge is the financing of performing arts for children and young people in general. We have made it to the state budget, and that is a victory, but at the same time it is difficult to see a clear commitment to the field nationally. We must constantly argue for the value of art for children and young people.
Hina:
- Why a separate theater house for children and young people, and not for adults?
Breathe:
– Because the need is there. Such a separate place does not yet exist in Norway, which has a main focus on children and young people, which is programming. Children and young people deserve high-quality performing arts that are made for them. One reason is also that here at Økern and Groruddalen we have a different audience than in the city center. It is important to me that as many people as possible have the opportunity to take part in the theater. At the same time, we want to break down the rigid dividing lines between “children's art” and “adult art”. I want a place where pensioners sit in the café at the same time as there is baby dancing on Sundays, and youth performances in the evenings, and where artists across target groups meet and inspire each other. We also want to be a place where young people can learn, get internships, apprentices and give young people a path into professional life via work on the house.
Hina:
– When will you officially open, and can you reveal some of the plans for the premiere performance?
Breathe:
– We are planning a full opening in 2027! And we have plans, but nothing I want to reveal. We are now working on finances, agreements and a program. There will be a big opening party – I can promise that.
Hina:
– Finally, what is your hope for Kloden theater?
Breathe:
– That we become a diverse and inclusive place, both artistically and humanly. A place that is built on cooperation and freedom. Now the theater will be built and the operations will be established, and I am also very much looking forward to the fact that we can all create a vibrant place for the performing arts and for children and young people. It is incredibly fun, almost unreal, to see this now actually grow and materialize, from an idea more than 10 years ago to reality.