The Dance Company Kartellet from Troms have drawn inspiration most notably from traditional dance and folk music from the north.

This gifts their work with a unique character which celebrates interaction with the audience. Acrobatics, musicality, the art of balance, and raw, earthy elements underpin the basis of their expression.

Sound wizard Benjamin Mørk, originally from Senja, is one of the country´s most exciting and visionary musicians working with both electronic and acoustic music. He is a versatile composer who relates stories through music, with almost no reference to the written word. Read more about our Festival Profiles for 2016 here.

The Arctic Arts Festival believes in art from the north! Festival director Maria Utsi seeks to raise the profile of arts and culture from the entire polar and arctic region.

- In 2016 we wish primarily to focus upon arts and culture from northern Norway. At the same time this will anchor our role as a meeting place for the northern cultural branch. A platform will be created  for 2017 when a more extensive focus upon arts from the entire northern region of the world will be presented, states the festival director.

In conjunction with today´s launch of our Festival Profiles, three performances with artists in 2016 from northern Norway, northern Sweden and Iceland are also released to the public.

Shwan Dler Qaradaki is launched as Festival Artist 2016. Read more about him here

Foto: Martin Edelsteen

Foto: Knut Åserud