A monthly gathering at Artica Svalbard where scientists and artists meet, share, and spark ideas over tea, cake, and conversation. For this month’s Fika, we’ll begin with three short presentations from our arts and science community before opening up for informal conversation.

Join us this dark season for Art Club—an open, welcoming space to make, share, and get inspired. Bring along your own arts or crafts projects to work on, or try out one of the materials and activities available, such as watercolour, drawing, or collage.

Are you interested in meeting Longyearbyen’s creative community? Join us for the last First Friday Coffee Club of the year! We’ll celebrate the season with festive treats, good company, and inspiring conversation.

Everything we know will one day disappear. We implicitly know this – we have developed systems and rituals to say goodbye – from waste management systems for our unwanted things to funerals for our beloved family members. Despite all this, we have set a goal that heritage – from archaeological sites to automatically protected buildings – should last forever.

(Lecture will be held in Norwegian)

How has growing up in the world’s northernmost community shaped Embla Abild’s political commitment? Embla grew up in the midst of a harsh Arctic climate, surrounded by darkness, avalanche risk, and polar bears—but also by warmth, community, and kindness. Svalbard is a society built on volunteerism, trust, and diversity, where people stand up for one another regardless of background, faith, or culture. It is a community she is proud and grateful to call home.

Is the Arctic a sensor of physical, chemical and biological risks for the Earth? Svalbard is an unique location to create understanding of the on-going processes.