PROJECTS
Artica supports artists in developing their ideas, investing in their practice, and providing opportunities for growth. We welcome artists from diverse backgrounds and at different stages of their careers, offering the time and space for artists and writers to experiment and explore new ideas without the pressure of presenting a finished outcome. We recognise that failure can be an essential part of the creative process. While it isn't expected that residents present a finished project, some see their residency as an opportunity to do so. Below is a selection of projects our residents have worked on during their stay.
Young Environmental Writers Competition 2024
In 2024, in an effort to engage young people in Svalbard with the urgent issues surrounding environmental sustainability, we launched the Young Environmental Journalist Competition. Our goal was to provide a platform for young voices to express their perspectives on the environmental challenges facing this unique Arctic region and to inspire others to think critically about the role we all play in protecting fragile ecosystems. By encouraging local youth, aged 14 to 20, to share their thoughts through writing, we aimed to nurture a new generation of environmental advocates and storytellers.
Future Community Garden
In October 2022, Artica hosted the project Future Community Garden. An imaginary vertical garden and public art-installation growing on the walls outside of Artica Svalbard
The Slow Adventure: A Year without Trees
In October 2021, Artica hosted the project: The Slow Adventure, a collaborative project between artist Floortje Zonneveld and the students of the Svalbard Folkehøgskole.
Hard Body Dyspraxia
For Artica Listens 2021 Ignas Krunglevičius created HARD BODY DYSPRAXIA, a sonic installation inside a disused coal power plant in Longyearbyen, Svalbard.
Flags of Svalbard Citizens
An interactive public artwork by Cristina Lucas inspired by the 100-year-old Svalbard Treaty. Part of the Artica Listens 2019 programme, co-curated with Office for Contemporary Art Norway (OCA)
The People That Is Missing
Filmed during the residency of artist Cristina Lucas. The video sets out to enliven some of the most urgent questions of our time, and to do so from one of the most challenging sites in the world, where climate change is more evident and the tensions for the distribution of its resources will define the near future. Part of the Artica Listens 2019 programme, co-curated with Office for Contemporary Art Norway (OCA).
Livet er Svalbardtraktaten
A panel discussion event filmed in front of a live audience at Longyearbyen Kulturhuset to mark the 100th anniversary of the Svalbard Treaty.
120 Hours
120 Hours is the world's largest architecture competition for and by students. In 2019 nearly 500 contestants from all over the world designed future settlements for Svalbard. The rules were that they only had five days (i.e. 120 hours) to solve the task and that they had to present their proposal on no more that two sheets of A3 paper.
Project Isfjorden
In June 2019 artists Floortje Zonneveld, Kim Nekarda and artist duo 44FLAVOURS were invited by Artica Svalbard to collaborate with the local community and produce three public artworks for display in various locations around Longyearbyen.
Fragile dreams of Nam Nam
'Fragile Dreams of Nam Nam’ was a performance by German artist and chef Johannes Gruber, held on the evening of May 3rd 2019. The event was part of ‘The Chef Residency’', a joint collaboration with Polar Permaculture.
A Gift to Svalbard
A Gift to Svalbard was an exhibition by the artist Oswaldo Maciá spanning a single day in Vinkelstasjonen, a former coal mine station on Svalbard. Presenting work made during Maciá’s 2018 Artica Residency, A Gift To Svalbard was a one-day installation made of sound, smell, light and monoprints.
Sound Installation by Rubén D'Hers
In collaboration with the Arctic Chamber Music Festival, Artica Svalbard are proud to present a new sound installation by Venezuelan, Berlin based musician and sound artist Rubén D'Hers.
Connected Artist
Galleri Svalbard, Svalbard Church, Kirkelig Kulturverksted, Triple Canopy, Longyearbyen Film Club and Artica Svalbard collaborated to bring artists Tahmineh Monzavi, Frank Heath and Antonin Pons Braley to Longyearbyen to work on upcoming projects.