– Kloden Theatre can be children's first encounter with theatre
January 27, 2026
With a helmet and safety shoes on, City Councilor Anita Leirvik North stands at the construction site and watches. Kloden theatre go from plans to reality. Demolition is underway, and the ambition is to establish a national theatre house for children and young people.
"We've been talking about this for almost two years, so seeing it actually happen now is, first and foremost, really exciting. It creates anticipation for what's to come," says North after visiting the construction site.
The city council points to the potential of the building and the transformation that is now underway.
– It's exciting to see how a former warehouse building will become a place filled with children, theater and life. These are exactly the kinds of spaces the city needs.
A first encounter with art and culture
North believes Kloden Theatre can have a great impact on the upbringing of children and young people in Oslo, especially in an area that is undergoing strong development.
– It's not natural to go to the theater if you've never been there before. That's why this first meeting is so important. Kloden Theater can become a low-threshold place where children gain a relationship with art and culture early on.
She refers to the extensive housing construction in Løren, Økern and Hovinbyen, and emphasizes the need for accessible cultural offerings in the local area.
– There will be many children living here in the future. It means a lot that there is a professional cultural offering nearby, which is tailored specifically for them.
That Kloden Located close to Kuben High School, she also sees it as a strength.
– Theater can be an important supplement, also for vocational students, and contribute something different than what one might traditionally associate with their educational path.
A clear priority for children and young people
The focus on Kloden According to North, theatre is a conscious cultural policy choice in a time of tight municipal finances.
We have had to make many tough priorities. At the same time, we are very clear that children and young people should not suffer when the economy is tough.
She points to trends such as exclusion and increasing youth crime, and believes that investments in culture are part of the solution.
– This is the type of initiative we want. Children and young people are our future!
A vibrant area – even outside of performance times
North believes Kloden can help create life and activity in the area long before all the homes are completed.
– For once, I feel like we are doing things in the right order. School and culture come before housing. It brings life, activity and belonging early on, and makes the area more than just a place to live.
Looking forward to taking the kids
She herself is looking forward to experiencing the theater with her own children.
– I have a nine-year-old and an eleven-year-old, so they are right in the target group. I'm really looking forward to bringing them here.
