About us

Festspillene i Nord-Norge (Arctic Arts Festival) was founded in Harstad in 1965. During summer solstice in June each year, we arrange a week-long international arts festival, dedicated to music, theatre, dance and performance. With its home base at 68° latitude, the festival is in and about the north where we foster and honor creative processes, contemplative exchanges and a communal spirit.

We care about our audience and we are dedicated to reflecting our surroundings. We encourage artistic cross pollination, celebrate the multiplicity of our communities and are passionately committed to the artists in our region at the same time that we are curious about processes and practices from other parts of the world.

Aiming at stimulating local arts and culture, we provide the opportunity for artists to think big and take a risk! Through our Young Artists Stipend and Open Call funding we allocate support for creative performance-based projects which challenge the boundaries of artistic expression through exciting collaborations and mentorship. We also organize the annual NUK-NyUngKunst (New Young Art), a workshop-based festival with abled and disabled participants that takes place within the framework of Festspillene.

Festspillene i Nord-Norge (Arctic Arts Festival) is made possible with funding from the Norwegian state, the Finnmark/Troms and Nordland regional councils, as well as Harstad town council. Funding for international collaboration derives from partners such as the Nordic Council of Ministers, Creative Europe and cultural institutions in different parts of the world. From 1995 to 2015 the festival was officially designated as an ”artistic hub”.