Karoline – Safemuse

Artist in residence meets engaged youth

Karoline — Sat, 10 Oct 2020 12:00:34 +0000

ARTIST IN RESIDENCE MEETS ENGAGED YOUTH

October 10, 2020

DANCE, FREEDOM AND THE POWER OF ART

For the fourth year Safemuse visited Solidaritetsungdommen, Norwegian People Aids’ youth organization, at their annual seminar at Utøya.

“Gato has been dancing since he was fifteen. For him dancing isn´t just a way of expression, but the way of expressing himself. When he dances others listen, they stop. They see the possibility of a different world. That is why he is dangerous. Because Hope is dangerous. Because youths with hope are youths that create change. And those who don’t want change are those in power. They are threatened by Gato, by dance, by arts’ ability to make people feel.”

Celina Jerman Bright-Taylor, Safemuse

«People change the world» is the slogan of Norwegian People Aid and Solidaritetsungdommen. Safemuse visited their seminar at Utøya a weekend in September, to talk about the importance of art and artistic freedom, and how art contributes to changing the world.

We screened the documentary B-Boys for life that documents the life of our artist in residence Carlos «Gato» Catuns’ break dance crew in Guatemala City. The documentary describes the brutality of the gangs, but also shows the power they have in society.

As well as showing the documentary Gato also participated in a conversation together with Nicolai Lopez and Celina Jerman Bright Taylor from Safemuse about the importance of art as an alternative to criminality. He spoke about how dancing changed his life and how it gives youths an opportunity to find a community somewhere else than amongst the gangs that control large parts of Guatemala.

After the conversation we had the opportunity to continue the talk with engaged youths that use their spare time to contribute to different parts of Norwegian Peoples Aids’ work. It was moving to experience Utøya filled with young people that want to create change. It gave hope for change also in Guatemala.

Utøya is an island in the Tyrifjorden lake about 38 km northwest of Oslo city centre. Utøya is owned by the Workers’ Youth League (AUF), a youth group associated with the Labour Party in Norway.

On 22 July 2011, a mass shooting took place at the AUF’s summer youth camp, where over 500 young people were staying. The perpetrator, Anders Behring Breivik arrived at the island after setting off a car bomb in the Government Quarter in Oslo.

Combined, the attacks in Oslo and Utøya left 77 dead, with 69 killed on the island.

For more information, see the 22 July Centre.

© Safemuse Organisation - Oslo/Norway

MEET THE NEW TEAM

Karoline — Thu, 27 Aug 2020 09:39:02 +0000

MEET THE NEW TEAM

August 27, 2020

Photo: Even Finnsrud/Musikkultur

THE SAFEMUSE ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM IS GROWING

Safemuse is entering the fall with some wonderful additions to our team. With one new full time employee, one new temp and one new residence coordinator, we will keep working to give artists at risk a safe place to work and develop their art. Kicking off the autumn with a two-day seminar, the administrative team got to work on some of our future projects. We are proud to introduce you to the newest members of our team, what their background is and what they think about artistic freedom.

Celina Jerman Bright-Taylor

Photo: Jon Lundell

Celina has a background in international relations and international law. She has worked with human rights issues in several countries, but has in the last years been working in civil society organizations in Norway like NOAS, FIVAS and the Norwegian Council for Africa. She has been especially involved in the work with corporate social responsibility. Celina is passionate about how we through art and creative expressions can shed light on important questions in our society, how art opens up new ways to meet people and allows us to understand how changes in the society affects people’s lives.

Q: What does artistic freedom mean to you?

– To me, artistic freedom means the right to self-expression on your own terms. Art, in all its shapes and forms, talks to our emotions, to something deeper within us than what is purely intellectual. That is why art is dangerous, provocative and an agent for change. There is a feeling of community when we chant the same song in a demonstration. A short poem can hold a world of questions and of answers and comprehension of complex issues. A theater can create a debate concerning both the personal and the political. But to me, most importantly, people should have the freedom to create their own space, to work with and express what it is that lives within themselves.

Celina Jerman Bright-Taylor enters a full time position as Program Officer.

Frøydis Bergheim Ruud

Photo: Even Finnsrud/Musikkultur

Frøydis has in the recent years worked as label manager at Grappa Musikkforlag AS, where she has been in charge of traditional music label Heilo, as well as jazz/experimental labels Hubro and Odin. She has also been the Grappa liaison for Safemuse’s own label LIDIO. She holds a master degree in traditional music from the University of South-East Norway. As a playing manager of ‘Myllargutens gammaldansorkester’ she released several albums and toured a variety of countries in Europe with the 15 piece band. Her optimistic world view drives her to work for what she truly believes in: that when a multitude of cultural expressions are made available to many, we as a society will be more open and understanding and progressive. She brings with her a great passion for facilitating collaborations and cultural meetings across genres and borders.

Q: What does artistic freedom mean to you?

– The role of art in our society is to describe, challenge and criticize. That is why artistic freedom is essential to maintain a well-functioning society that moves forward, and never is allowed to stagnate.

Frøydis Bergheim Ruud is entering a 50% temporary position as Project Coordinator.

Nicolai López

Photo: Even Finnsrud/Musikkultur

Nicolai comes from a background in hip hop and theatre. He has worked for over a decade as a professional dancer, before he started his present career as a creative producer and project manager within the arts field. He has a deep passion for and knowledge about the Northern Norwegian culture, as well as the Sámi culture and indigenous culture in various parts of the world. He has run an artist management for Northern Norwegian and Sámi artists, working amongst others with the successful band ISÁK. He has also worked with several theatre and dance projects – the most famous being ‘Vidas Extremas’ that earned a Hedda Award and the Theatre Critics Award in 2016.

Q: What does artistic freedom mean to you?

– Artistic freedom is an essential right. Through my work with indigenous culture I have come to understand that it is also completely necessary. For many people, the stage is the only place you can express yourself freely, even if that stage is hidden, and everywhere else is a dangerous place. Those who truly fight for artistic freedom are people who dare to risk something, risks that we in Norway will probably never really understand. We might think that we are willing to die for our art, but we will never have to make that choice. This is why I want to use all my effort and knowledge, to fight for those who know and have experienced what the price of artistic freedom can be.

Nicolai enters a 50% position as Residence Coordinator for our current residency with the dancer Gato.

NON-EU/EEA ARTISTS IN NORWAY CALL FOR SUPPORT IN WAKE OF COVID-19

Karoline — Mon, 22 Jun 2020 14:42:53 +0000

FIGHTING FOR THE RIGHT TO WORK

June 22, 2020

NON-EUROPEAN ARTISTS COME TOGETHER IN TIMES OF TROUBLE

There is no doubt that Covid-19 has put the culture sector in a state of crisis. Tours have been cancelled, concerts are a no-go and the internet has been flooded with free live shows for- and by all. In Norway, many residents are eligible for some type of support, either through social services or via new grants and funds aimed at artists and cultural institutions effected by the pandemic. A last option is to find alternative employment.

A group that has an entirely different set of challenges is the non-EU/EEA artists that live and work in Norway. They too, have lost a large amount of work, but due to their status as specialized workers, they cannot take any other kind of job to support themselves during this crisis.

Acting on some of these growing frustrations, Norwegian-based visual artist Rodrigo Ghattas-Peréz (Peru) and Gabrielle Paré (Canada) has created a support group for non-European artists based in Norway. The effort has led to a petition signed by over a thousand artists, calling on the Norwegian Government and political parties to take action.

Safemuse believes that access to employment opportunities is a fundamental right that should be granted to everyone – regardless of national affiliation. These artists should have the same right to work as professionals and present their artistic expression to the public as Norwegian and EU citizens has.

The petition states that:

«The economic situation created by COVID-19 has left many of us without work, and no opportunity to seek alternative employment. This is compounded by the fact that most of us cannot access unemployment benefits, temporary income protection (midlertidig inntektssikring), and economic social assistance. Those who apply for social assistance put the renewal of their residence permit at risk.»

The group has listed a series of demands that can solve the situation – although no response from the government has been given this far. Continuing their work, the Non-European artists based in Norway are calling for more artists to tell their stories, and working with creating a network of artists throughout the country.

Read the petition here