Idea workshop
January 19, 2016
What does it take to create an optimal stage house for children and young people? On January 8, twenty people met to think about exactly that.
We met at the premises of Transborder studio, an architectural firm that is helping Norsk Scenekunstbruk to lay the best possible foundation for establishing a new venue that will showcase performing arts for children and young people all year round.
Ådne Sekkelsten, head of Norsk Scenekunstbruk, began by saying that Norwegian performing arts for children and young people are of a very high international standard. But there is something missing: Many performances never reach the public; there is a great shortage of rehearsal rooms and venues; there is not enough space and resources for professional development. And in Oslo, only a small number of pupils get to experience performing arts through The Cultural Rucksack.
There was a flurry of ideas from the attendees, people with different backgrounds in this field of art. We can't list them all here, but there is room for a few key words:
- The globe must be a place that physically invites young people in, and a place that inspires sensory and spatial exploration.
- Professional focus: debates with children and young people as participants; various professional seminars, lectures and debates; workshops for both artists and children/young people; time and space for preliminary projects and artistic exploration - to name a few.
- Collaboration: We spent a lot of time on this point. There was broad agreement that the venue should collaborate closely with everything from local schools to venues and institutions in Oslo, the rest of the country and abroad. The point is that Kloden should not compete with other actors, but contribute to adding something new and strengthening the entire art field.
Espen Røyseland and Øystein Rø from Transborder studio talked about their previous work, including the co-location of cultural institutions in Oslo. They then talked about what can make Kloden unique, namely breaking down the distinction between production and dissemination. They showed examples of how stage houses have been designed to give the audience more opportunities to experience art while it is being created.
The results of the idea workshop will be included in the needs analysis that Transborder will use as a starting point when designing a space program, which will be used in dialogue with politicians and real estate players. At the same time, we continue to talk to politicians, performing artists and others who work with this. Finally, we will prepare a report that makes recommendations and outlines needs and opportunities in terms of location, content, collaboration and operation.
