Oslo

Initiatives

Venues

• 0047, art, architecture and urbanism platform, Rodeløkka, since 2007
• 1857, experimental platform for contemporary art, *2010
• Akademirommet, gallery, Kunstnernes Hus, downtown, *2013
• antipodes café, Bjørvika
• Atelier Nord, platform for contemporary art with focus on media art, *1965
• Baklengs, record shop, *2016
• Big Dipper, record store
• Bitraf, makerspace, downtown, *2011
• Black Box teater, contemporary performing arts venue, Grünerløkka, *1985
• Blå, alternative music venue and club, downtown, *1998
• Blitz, activist centre, downtown, *1982
• Byens Tak, bar and arena for architecture and urban culture
• ByKuben, center for urban ecology, *2018, [1]
• Café Mir, Grünerløkka
• Cinemateket, cinema, downtown
• Demon's Mouth, artist-run gallery, Rodeløkka, *2014
• Destiny's, artist-run gallery, Majorstuen, *2016
• Fellesverkstedet, open production facility for artists and designers, Grünerløkka, *2011
• Flatbread Society, urban farm and art centre, Bjørvika, *2012
• Fotogalleriet, fotohalle, downtown, *1977
• Gamle Munch, cultural centre, Tøyen, *2022
• Gimle, cinema, Gimle, *1939, [2]
• Grünerløkka Lufthavn, artist studios, Grünerløkka, *1994
• Grusomhetens Teater / Theatre of Cruelty, downtown, *2002
• Guttormsgaards arkiv, Blaker
• Hackeriet, hackerspace, Hausmania, downtown, *2009
• Haus der Kunst, artist-run gallery, downtown, *2019
• Hausmania, autonomous cultural centre, downtown, *2000
• Henie-Onstad Art Centre, museum, Høvikodden, *1968
• Holodeck, non-profit project space, downtown, *2011
• John Dee, music venue, downtown
• K4 galleri, artist-run gallery space for video art and moving image, *2016
• Kafé Hærverk, bar, club, concert venue & record store, downtown, *2017, [3]
• Kunsthøgskolen i Oslo (KHiO), art academy, *1996
• Kunstnerforbundet, artist-run gallery for contemporary art, downtown, *1910
• Kulturhuset i Oslo, cultural centre & cafe, downtown, *2013
• Kunsthall Oslo, non-profit art space, Bjørvika, *2010
• Kunstnernes Hus, centre for contemporary art, *1930
• Kunstplass, venue for contemporary art, downtown, *2012
• Losæter, arena for art and urban farming, Bjørvika, *2011
• Louise Dany, artist-run initiative, Majorstuen, *2016
• LYNX, artist-run exhibition space, *2013
• Melahuset, cultural centre
• MELK, artist-run space for photography, *2009
• Nitja Centre for Contemporary Art (formerly Akershus Kunstsenter), Lillestrøm, *1986
• Noplace, artist-run gallery, *2011
• Nordic Black Theatre & Cafeteatret, self-run theatre, *1992
• Norlis, second hand bookstore, downtown, *1890
• Office for Contemporary Art Norway (OCA), *2001
• Oslo Apiary & Aviary, Kunstnernes Hus, downtown, *2013
• Oslo Kunstforening, cultural society and exhibition space, *1836
• Parkteatret, music venue, downtown, *1907/2002, [4] [5]
• Podium, artist-run gallery, downtown, *2004
• Reshow, materials free for reuse in cultural initiatives
• ROM, gallery for art and architecture, Grünerløkka, *1987
• Sagene Kunstsmie, art centre, Sagene, *2014
• Salt, art and music, downtown, *2014
• Schloss, exhibition space, Sofienberg, *2016
• Schous Bøker, bookstore, Grünerløkka, *2016
• She Will, occasional space for art events in a disused petrol station, Ski, *2018
• Sub Scene, cultural centre, downtown, *2002
• Tegnerforbundet, artist-run organisation and gallery, *1916
• Tenthaus, project space for contemporary art, downtown, *2011
• Tiger, record store, downtown
• Torpedo/PUB, non-profit art publisher and bookstore, downtown, *2005
• Tronsmo Bokhandel, bookstore, downtown, *1975
• Uhørt, cultural venue, downtown, *2014
• UKS (Young Artists' Society), gallery, downtown, *1921
• Vandaler Forening, artist-run space, Lille Tøyen, *2015
• Van Etten, non-profit gallery space, Grønland, *2020
• Vega Scene, art cinema & theatre, downtown, *2018

• more: USE-IT city guide, 2017, Indie Travel Guide.
• Past spaces: Khartoum Contemporary Art Center (conceptual arts initiative, downtown, 2017-2023, [6]), Kazachenko's Apartment (2013-2016), Stein og Jord (record store), Pink Cube (exhibition space, 2011-2016), Slow Space Bjørvika [7] (2010-2014), Tidens Krav (artist-run gallery, -2014), Sound of Mu (2006-2014), Atopia (experimental film and video art initiative and gallery, 2003-2017), GUN (Galleriet uten Navn) (artist-run gallery, 2000-2003), Zoolounge (artist-run space, 1996-1999), Galleri Struts (artist-run gallery, 1994-1998) [8], Herslebsgate (artist-run gallery, 1992-1998) [9], Museum of Contemporary Art (1990-2017), Månefisken (*1989).

Initiatives with no permanent event venue

• Another Space, curatorial collaboration and independent book publisher for art and architecture, *2012
• Coda Press, independent publisher
• Femme Brutal, feminist club concept and booking collective, *2012
• Filmbyrået Jack, film distributor, *2022, [10]
• First Supper Symposium, collaborative feminist art project, *2012
• Foot Books, independent publisher
• Growlab Oslo, design studio working with urban food culture, *2012
• House, initiates and produces art in public space, *2014
• Hverdag Books, artist books and risograph, *2016
• Kunstavisen, art review, *2020
• Kunstkritikk, art review, *2003
• Locus, artist-run gallery space & publishing house, *2006
• MakersHub, architectural collective and volunteer organisation, *2015
• Masahat, open spaces for Arab culture in exile, *2015
• Metronomicon Audio, record label, *2001
• NorCD, record label, *1991, [11]
• Nordic Art Press, *2017
• Norsk Risoforening, *2018
• Norwegian Association of Curators, *2011
• Notam, center for technology in music and the arts, *1992
• nyMusikk, centre for experimental music and sound art, *1938
• Objektiv, photography publisher & journal, *2009
• O. Gudmundsen Minde, vinyl label for strange and wonderful music, *2017
• Oktober, publishing house, *1970
• Øreverk, experimental music events, *2017
• Performance Art Oslo (PAO), artist-run initiative, *2012
• Plastic Strip Press, record label for Scandinavian avant-garde music, *2006
• PNEK, production network for electronic art, *2000
• Praksis, platform for creative research and production, *2015
• Prisms, association for alternative film cultures, *2021
• radiOrakel, women's radio, at Blitz, *1982
• Ressursguide Oslo, tool and reference work for artists in the Oslo region. Provides users with an overview of workshops, production facilities, suppliers of services and materials. Also possible to find professional organisations and agencies that offer expertise and financial resources to artists
• Samvær Under Tilsün / Det Elektriske Korps, *2016
• Sofa, record label, *2000, [12]
• Subjekt.no, online cultural magazine, *2013
• Tekstbyrået, independent publisher
• Underskog
• Uten Tittel, art and culture publisher, *2016
• Vandaler Forening, *2015
• Verdensteatret, theatre company, *1986
• Verk Produksjoner, theatre company, *1989
• Video Art Archive, *2011
• VISP, resource and networking organisation for visual arts, *2009

• more: Oslo in Action(s) (*2020).
• Past initiatives: Prisma Records (record label, 2008-2016), Volapük (literature and cutlure forum, *1990).

Events

• All Ears, festival for improvised music, *2002
• CODA Oslo International Dance Festival, *2001
• Dans for Voksne, concert series, *2003
• Drawing Triennial (Tegnebiennalen), *2002
• F/ eks, concert series for electronic music and experimental pop, *2019
• FORART Lectures, *2004
• Fotobokfestival Oslo, *2009
• God natt, literature festival, *2018
• Kunstbok Oslo, art book fair, *2024
• Masahat, festival for Arab arts and culture, *2021
• Merge Norge, festival for contemporary circus, *2016
• Mirage, art film festival, *2022
• Off the Page, music festival without music, *2014
• Only Connect, festival of sound, *2005
• Open Forum, a student run initiative for exchange of ideas, *c.2011
• Oslava, experimental music festival, 2022
• Oslo Arkitekturtriennale, *2000
• Oslo Internasjonale Teaterfestival, *2013
• Oslo Biennalen, *2019
• PAO Festival, performance art festival, *2013
• Periferien, minifestival for contemporary and experimental music, *2016
• Praksis Development Forum (PDF), monthly peer-support group for creative community
• The Seminar of Aesthetics, interdisciplinary forum for new research at the intersection of aesthetic theory, philosophy and art, *1988
• Struktura, event series, 2019-2020
• Ultima, contemporary music festival, *1991
• Winter Solstice, annual nocturnal art project and happening, *2012
• We Do, contemporary Polish arts & culture festival, *2019
• Event listings: Concerts in Oslo, Broadcast concerts and clubs in Oslo, Oslo Art Guide (exhibition guide, formerly U.F.O.), Underskog.

Past events

• Norsk Lydarkivkonferanse, 2022
• Bande à part, conference on independent art institutions, 2019, [13] [14]
• Canon No Canon, conference, 2018
• Technology and Emotions, conference, 2017
• An Army of Liars: Situationists in Scandinavia, exhibition, 2016
• How to Raise a Teenager, seminar on art publication and distribution, 2016. [15]. FB.
• Oslo Pilot, 2015-2016
• PolyFøkt, festival for experimental and noise music, 2013
• Academy Lectures, 2012-2017
• Oslo Lux light, space and technology festival, 2011-2015
• Art.on.Wires, festival for live and interactive art & technology, 2010-2012
• Fluxus East, exhibition, 2010-2011
• Oslo Screen Festival, video art festival, 2008-2014
• RAM2, 2003
• Electronic Art in Public Spaces, conference, 2002
• Den Tredje Vei, short film festival, *1998
• International Rostrum of Electroacoustic Music, biennial, 1990
• Mankind 2000, conference, 1967

Art workers

• Alexander De Cuveland
• Ane Hjort Guttu, [16]
• Anne Hilde Neset
• Anne-Lise Stenseth (1959)
• Apichaya (Piya) Wanthiang (1987)
• Atle Selnes Nielsen (1978)
• Bjørn Bjarre
• Bjørnar Habbestad (1976)
• Camille Norment (1970)
• Christian Blom (1974)
• David M. Berry
• Dušan Barok
• Einar Goksøyr Åsen, [17]
• Eirik Blekesaune
• Ellef Prestsæter
• Ellen Røed
• Eivind Røssaak
• Espen Sommer Eide
• Ewa Jacobsson
• Farhad Kalantary
• Frode Weium
• Geir Johnson (1953-2021)
• Harald Fetveit
• HC Gilje (1969)
• Hild Borchgrevink
• Ida Lykken Ghosh
• Ieva Gudaitytė
• Ina Blom
• Inger Lise Hansen (1963)
• Ingrid Hölzl
• Ivar Smedstad
• Jana Winderen
• Jenny Berger Myhre
• Jessica MacMillan
• Jina Chang
• Jiska Huizing
• Jonas Ekeberg (1967)
• Katya García-Antón
• Kenneth Korstad Langås
• Kristin Bergaust
• Kristoffer Myskja (1985)
• Lars Cuzner (1974)
• Lars Mørch Finborud
• Lasse Marhaug
• Lesia Vasylchenko
• Marius Watz
• Marit Paasche
• Markus Moestue
• Mike Sperlinger
• Natasha Barrett
• Nicholas Norton
• Niklas Adam
• Nikhil Vettukattil
• Øyvind Mellbye, [18], [19]
• Per Platou
• Per Teljer
• Petr Svárovský
• Piotr Pajchel
• Randi Nygård
• Rhea Dall
• Rob Young
• Sara R. Yazdani
• Signe Lidén
• Silja Leifsdottir
• Siri Austeen
• Sten Ove Toft
• Susanne Østby Sæther
• Taina Bucher
• Tanja Sæter
• Terje Rasmussen
• Timotheus Vermeulen
• Trond Lossius
• Ulf A. S. Holbrook

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