Conference/Meeting – Safemuse https://safemuse.org Safemuse Organization Fri, 20 Jun 2025 07:49:40 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.7 https://safemuse.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/cropped-favicon-32x32.png Conference/Meeting – Safemuse https://safemuse.org 32 32 Fri Kunst dagskonferanse 2024 / Artistic Freedom Conference 2024 https://safemuse.org/2024/02/16/fri-kunst-dagskonferanse-2024-artistic-freedom-conference-2024/ Fri, 16 Feb 2024 07:42:57 +0000 https://safemuse.org/?p=7008

FRI KUNST DAGSKONFERANSE 2024 / ARTISTIC FREEDOM CONFERENCE 2024

February 16, 2024
Fri Kunst konferanse, 1. mars på Riksscenen, Oslo

For tredje året på rad arrangerer Safemuse en dagskonferanse på Riksscenen under Fri Kunst-uken i begynnelsen av mars. Dagen byr på samtaler som setter søkelys på den frie kunsten og kunstneres endringskraft og rolle i samfunnet, i tillegg til kunstneriske innlegg fra en rekke norske og internasjonale kunstnere.  

Dagskonferansen fredag 1. mars er åpen og gratis, men krever påmelding innen 26. february 2024. Påmeldingslenke her.

PROGRAM:

11:30 Dørene åpner
12:00 – 12:10 Kunstnerisk innlegg: Mahsa Vahdat og Marjan Vahdat
12:10 – 12:20 Velkomst
12:25 – 12:35 Åpningstale: sametingspresident Silje Karine Muotka
12:35 – 12:45 Kunstnerisk innlegg: Don Martin
12:45 – 12:55 Kunstnerisk innlegg: Varun Narain
13:00 – 13:50 Panelsamtale I: Kunstens kraft og rolle som samfunnsendrer i Norge og verden (samtalen vil foregå på norsk)
– Øystein Strand, avdelingsdirektør for Kunstnerisk produksjon og formidling, Kulturdirektoratet
– Silje Karine Muotka, president, Sámediggi / Sametinget
– Cliff Moustache, kunstnerisk leder, Nordic Black Theatre
– Moderator: Yohan Shanmugaratnam, journalist og forfatter
13:50 – 14:10 Pause
14:10 – 14:20 Kunstnerisk innlegg: Viktor Bomstad
14:20 – 15:10 Panelsamtale II: Kunstnersamtale om kunst og endringskraft (samtalen vil foregå på engelsk)
– Masha Vahdat, sanger og komponist
– Varun Narain, dukkemaker/dukkefører og Safemuse residenskunstner
– Viktor Bomstad, landsdelsjoiker for Troms og Finnmark
– Jannik Abel, fotograf og billedkunstner
– Moderator: Nosizwe Baqwa, artist, aktivist og styremedlem i Safemuse
15:15 – 15:30 Presentasjon: Safemuse Art Havens
15:30 – 15:40 Kort oppsummering
15:40 – 16:00 Pause / omrigg
16:00 – 16:30 Tverrkunstnerisk mini-forestilling: Hooman Sharifi og Arash Moradi
16:30 – 17:30 Sosialt samvær med bevertning

VELKOMMEN

————————

Artistic Freedom Week Conference, 1st of March at Riksscenen in Oslo

For the third year in a row, Safemuse organises a full-day conference at Riksscenen during Artistic Freedom Week in the beginning of March. The program includes talks that focus on art and artists’ roles and power to change society, in addition to artistic interventions from a number of Norwegian and international artists.

The conference is an open event and free of charge, but requires registration by 26 February 2024. Registration link here.

PROGRAM:

11:30 The doors open
12:00 – 12:10 Artistic intervention: Mahsa Vahdat and Marjan Vahdat
12:10 – 12:20 Welcome
12:25 – 12:35 Opening speech: President of the Sámi Parliament Silje Karine Muotka
12:35 – 12:45 Artistic intervention: Don Martin
12:45 – 12:55 Artistic intervention: Varun Narain
13:00 – 13:50 Panel discussion I: The power of art and its capacity for change, in Norway and the world (the conversation will take place in Norwegian)
– Øystein Strand, department director for artistic production and communication
– Silje Karine Muotka, president, Sámediggi / Sámi Parliament
– Cliff Mustache, artistic director, Nordic Black Theatre
– Moderator: Yohan Shanmugaratnam, journalist and author
13:50 – 14:10 Break
14:10 – 14:20 Artistic intervention: Viktor Bomstad
14:20 – 15:10 Panel conversation II: Artist conversation about art and its power to bring about change (the conversation will take place in English)
– Masha Vahdat, singer and composer
– Varun Narain, puppeteer and Safemuse artist-in-residence
– Viktor Bomstad, regional joiker for Troms and Finnmark
– Jannik Abel, photographer and visual artist
– Moderator: Nosizwe Baqwa, artist, activist and board member of Safemuse
15:15 – 15:30 Presentation: Safemuse Art Havens
15:30 – 15:40 Closing remarks
15:40 – 16:00 Break / rearrangement
16:00 – 16:30  Mini-performance: Hooman Sharifi and Arash Moradi
16:30 – 17:30 Social gathering with refreshments

WELCOME

© Safemuse Organisation - Oslo/Norway

]]> More important than ever: Artistic freedom and mobility https://safemuse.org/2022/03/31/more-important-than-ever-artistic-freedom-and-mobility/ Thu, 31 Mar 2022 09:21:28 +0000 https://safemuse.org/?p=4597

More important than ever: Artistic freedom and mobility

March 31, 2022

Written by Akari Izumi Kvamme

The Norwegian Minister of Culture, Anette Trettebergstuen, opened the conference. Photo: Jon Lundell / Safemuse

As March comes to a close, Safemuse looks back at a month where artistic freedom has been celebrated and promoted. A mere week after the violent conflict in Ukraine was evoked, Safemuse organised the Artistic Freedom-week 2022 in order to raise the theme of artistic freedom of expression and free mobility of artists onto the public agenda.

Free Art – Free Movement

On the 4th of March, dozens of Norwegian organisations, institutions, cultural initiatives and artists gathered for the one-day conference “Free Art – Free Movement” (Fri Kunst – Fri Bevegelse) at Riksscenen in Oslo. In their welcoming speech, Riksscenen’s CEO / Artistic Director, Ane Carmen Roggen,  and Safemuse’s General Manager, Jan Lothe Eriksen, underscored how deeply and disturbingly relevant the discussion of artistic freedom and mobility have become in light of the meaningless atrocities unfolding before the world’s eyes and the all too evident risks and barriers that confront many artists in Eastern Europe and beyond. 

A committed Minister of Culture

In the opening speech, the Norwegian Minister of Culture, Anette Trettebergstuen, spoke of the necessity for artistic freedom of expression in democratic societies today and shared her unwavering support for Safemuse’s efforts:

“I cannot think of anything more important than to promote the importance of artistic freedom and to defend artists’ right to move and express themselves. It is simply a matter of democracy, the most fundamental thing we have to fight for.”

 

The minister also expressed her ambitions for Norway to take the lead. 

– We must look at how we can make the conditions for development and cooperation across national borders in the world of art and culture even better. Norway to the world and the world to Norway. The world community is fragile [and] this makes it even more important to stand up and work for increased cooperation and contact. 

Norway, Trettebergstuen pointed out, is one of the world’s best countries to live in, also for artists. 

– We have good frameworks, good support schemes and we value artistic freedom. And so, allowing international artists to come here to exchange knowledge and experience security, is perhaps more important than ever, she said. 

In her closing statement, Trettebergstuen reaffirmed the Norwegian government’s continued commitment to promote artistic freedom and mobility:

– While it is easy to experience discouragement when the world is fragile, this is an effort we must never give up. There is no alternative. Thank you so much for the work you do, it is more important than ever, and I promise on behalf of the government we will support you and work together with you.

The impossible task

The South African-Norwegian artist Nosizwe Baqwa moved the entire audience at the conference. In a powerful spoken-word performance that sent shivers down the audiences’ spines, she underlined the indispensable societal contribution of artists, and delivered an emotional appeal for the pressing need to protect and enhance artists’ freedoms: 

“…What I know for sure is that artists are best at impossible tasks. 
Artists continue to create because they have to, because they exist in a belief and truth that what they deliver to the world is more important and greater than themselves, that one must not be stopped, one must not be silenced, that which has accompanied humanity since the beginnings, are the rhythms, are the heartbeat, our pulsating inner percussion, it is the tones that hold us together, that created a we, a us, an idea, a thought, a dream, you can not be part of the system who refuse the dreamers to come together, especially not those who are already suffering from the violence of those who want to silence them, silence them to death, you must keep the dreams and dreams alive, because it is we who keep you alive.”

– Excerpt from Nosizwe Baqwas piece. (Translated from Norwegian. Read the entire, original text here).

The artist Nosizwe Baqwa moved the audience with her powerful performative text and song. Photo: Akari Izumi Kvamme / Safemuse.
From the left: Celina Bright Jerman-Taylor, Ole Reitov and Ingeborg Moa discussed inconsistent visa practice and ways to overcome the current challenges. Photo: Jon Lundell / Safemuse.

Inconsistent visa practice

The conference included two panel discussions moderated by Ingeborg Moa (Norwegian Human Rights Fund). The first conversation was with Alexandra Archetti Stølen (Oslo World) and Per-Idar Almås (The Førde Traditional and World Music Festival) who shared their reflections and experiences as festival organisers. Thereafter Moa spoke with Ole Reitov (Unesco adviser and founder of Freemuse) and Celina Bright Jerman-Taylor (Safemuse) about the challenges and opportunities with regards to the 2005 Unesco convention on artistic diversity, which Norway has ratified together with 150 other countries as well as the EU. 

The discussions were followed by a performance by an anonymous Afghan singer and a mini-concert by the Malmø-based ICORN guest artist, Egyptian oud player and sound-artist Yasmine El Baramawy together with Danish tuba player Rasmus Svale Kjærgård Lund. The conference closed off with an artist talk, organised in collaboration with Riksscenen, Ballade and SalsaNor’s initiative Ella, whereby Guro Kleveland, editor of the web-magazine Ballade, interviewed Ayhvin Bruno from Venezuela, Dayami Ross from Cuba and Yasmine El Baramawy.

—

Thank you to our supporters

Artistic Freedom Week 2022 and conference was organised with support from the Fritt Ord Foundation (Stiftelsen Fritt Ord) and the Norwegian Culture Council (Kulturrådet).

We extend a special thanks to all the participants, the engaged audience – both physical and digital -, and our partners Riksscenen, Ballade and SalsaNor. 

Yasmine El Baramawy and Rasmus Svale Kjærgård Lund. Photo: Jon Lundell / Safemuse.
Guro Kleveland led the artist talk with Ayhvin Bruno, Dayami Ross and Yasmine El Baramawy. Photo: Jon Lundell / Safemuse.

© Safemuse Organisation - Oslo/Norway

]]> Safemuse inviterer til Fri Kunst 2022 https://safemuse.org/2022/02/15/safemuse-inviterer-til-fri-kunst-2022/ Tue, 15 Feb 2022 09:32:44 +0000 https://safemuse.org/?p=4436

SAFEMUSE INVITERER TIL MARKERING AV KUNSTNERISK YTRINGSFRIHET

February 15, 2022
Foto: Cronje Strøm

Følg live-stream fra konferansen via denne lenken. Start: 13:00.

Watch the live-stream from the conference via this link. Start: 13:00.

FRI KUNST 2022

Safemuse arrangerer Fri Kunst-uken den 1. – 7. mars 2022 for å sette temaet kunstnerisk ytringsfrihet og fri bevegelse av kunstnere på dagsorden. Vi inviterer til dagkonferanse, løfter saken i norske medier og sprer budskapet via nettbaserte kanaler. Bli med å markere uken!

VELKOMMEN TIL DAGKONFERANSE

Bli med på dagkonferansen “Fri Kunst – Fri Bevegelse” på Riksscenen den 4. mars 2022. Her samles relevante aktører fra organisasjoner, festivaler og andre arrangører, samt institusjoner som arbeider med kunst og kultur.

Dagkonferansen er åpen og gratis, men krever påmelding. 

Meld deg på arrangementet via lenken: https://forms.office.com/r/jteb8MDm81 

ÅRETS TEMA

Årets tema er fri bevegelse av kunst og kunstnere, og hvordan vi kan bidra til at Norge oppfyller UNESCO-konvensjonen om kulturelt mangfold (2005) art.16, Preferansebehandling (eller fordelsbehandling) av utviklingsland: Industriland skal legge til rette for kulturutveksling med utviklingsland ved å tilstå, gjennom hensiktsmessige institusjonelle og juridiske rammeverk, fortrinnsbehandling av kunstnere, andre kulturarbeidere og utøvere, så vel som av kulturvarer og -tjenester fra utviklingsland.

Vi ønsker å sikre at kunstnere og kulturarbeidere internasjonalt har mulighet til å forflytte seg fritt og mulighet til å samarbeide på tvers av grenser. En rekke aktører i kunst og kulturverdenen opplever store utfordringer med visum når artister og kulturarbeidere skal inviteres både ved kortere og lengre opphold. Det at kunstnere og andre kulturarbeidere ikke får visum hindrer den kunstneriske friheten, utveksling av ideer og hindrer kunsten i å utvikle seg og bli sett, hørt og opplevd også utenfor sin egen kulturelle kontekst. Spesielt er det viktig at kunstnere fra land i sør i økt grad får delta i utveksling, utviklet sitt arbeidsmarked og vist sin kunst i Norge, i Europa og resten av den vestlige verden.

PROGRAM

12:45 Dørene åpner

13:00 – 13:10 Velkomst og kort introduksjon om Fri Kunst v/ Ane Carmen Roggen, Riksscenen og Jan Lothe Eriksen, Safemuse.

13:10 – 13:25 Åpningstale v/ Kulturminister Anette Trettebergstuen.

13:30 – 14:30 Panelsamtale: “Samarbeid på tvers”. Deltakere: Per Idar Almås, Førdefestivalen, Alexandra Archetti Stølen, Oslo World, Marthe Valle, artist. Moderator: Ingeborg Moa, direktør i Menneskerettighetsfondet.

14:30 – 14:45 Pause

14:45 – 14:55 “Fri kunst – fri bevegelse – fri utveksling”, innlegg v/ Nosizwe Lise Baqwa, artist.

15:00 – 16:00 Panelsamtale: “Inkonsekvent visumpraksis”. Deltakere: Ole Reitov, grunnlegger/ tidligere direktør i Freemuse og UNESCO rådgiver og Celina Jerman Bright-Taylor, rådgiver, Safemuse. Politisk ledelse fra Justisdepartementet er invitert. Moderator: Ingeborg Moa, direktør i Menneskerettighetsfondet.

16:00 – 16:30 Pause

16:00 Dørene åpner til konsert / kunstnersamtale

16:30 – 17:30

DEL I: Konsert med Yasmine El Baramawy, egyptisk oudspiller, lydkunstner og fribymusiker i Malmö & Rasmus Svale Kjærgård Lund, tuba, og Inkognito, Afghansk sanger.

DEL II: Kunstnersamtale i samarbeid med Riksscenen, Ballade og SalsaNor med initiativet Ella. Deltakere: Ahyvin Bruno, venezuelansk vokalist, Las Karamba; Yasmine El Baramawy og Daiami Ross, leder, Cuba Cambia. Moderator: Guro Klevland, redaktør, Ballade.

Fri Kunst-konferansen arrangeres med støtte fra Stiftelsen Fritt Ord og Norsk Kulturråd. 

—

English summary:

In connection with the annual celebration of Music Freedom Day, Safemuse is organising Artistic Freedom-week 2022 on the 1st – 7th of March to place the theme of artistic freedom of expression and free movement of artists on the agenda.

The week will include a one-day-conference on Friday the 4th of March at Riksscenen, as well as a campaign to raise the issue in the Norwegian media and spread the message via online channels.

The panel discussions will take place in Norwegian, but English-speakers are welcome to join us at 16:30 for the concert and artist talk. Seating is limited and all participants are asked to register their attendance: https://forms.office.com/r/jteb8MDm81

16:00 The doors open for a concert / artist talk

16:30 – 17:30

PART I: Concert with Yasmine El Baramawy, Egyptian oud player and sound artist based in Malmö & Rasmus Svale Kjærgård Lund, tuba, and Inkognito, Afghan singer.

PART II: Artist talk in collaboration with Riksscenen, Ballade and SalsaNor with the initiative Ella. Participants: Ahyvin Bruno, Venezuelan singer in Las Karamba; Yasmine El Baramawy and Daiami Ross, leader of Cuba Cambia. Moderator: Guro Klevland, editor of Ballade.

© Safemuse Organisation - Oslo/Norway

]]> A Conversation with Maryam Sharifi https://safemuse.org/2021/09/30/a-conversation-with-maryam-sharifi/ Thu, 30 Sep 2021 12:20:10 +0000 https://safemuse.org/?p=4050

THE SOLIDARITY CONFERENCE 2021: A conversation with Maryam Sharifi

September 30, 2021
In a conversation with Safemuse's Akari Izumi Kvamme, Maryam Sharifi shared her experiences and reflections as an Afghani woman and cultural activist. Photo: Ortenheim Photography.

Earlier this month, the Norwegian Peoples Aid Solidarity Youth’s annual conference took place on the island of Utøya. At the Solidarity Conference 2021, dozens of passionate youth from all over Norway gathered to discuss local and global politics, share their reflections with invited guests and meet old and new friends. On the 11th of September, Safemuse attended the conference together with Maryam Sharifi who shared her story and experiences from life as a woman and cultural activist in Afghanistan.

Life as a woman in Afghanistan

Maryam Sharifi is an afghani cultural activist and festival organiser. She grew up in a war-torn Afghanistan during the Taliban’s first reign of terror in the nineties and early 2000s. It was a time when girls were not allowed to attend school and women were denied participation in public life. Maryam and her sisters stayed at home all day to weave carpets by hand in order to help her family make a living. Although the Taliban’s loss of power in 2001 opened up to some new opportunities that Maryam previously did not have, life as a young woman continued to be challenging. Recently, with the country once again having fallen into the hands of the Taliban, Maryam is increasingly worried about the situation for girls and women in Afghanistan. “Back then it was difficult to work, but now it is impossible,” she says.

“Back then it was difficult to work, but now it is impossible.”

Maryam is concerned about the situation we see today, the future of Afghani people, and women, artists, journalists and human rights activists in particular. She describes the desperation expressed by friends and family back home whom she is in touch with. “It just makes me so sad. Many people have contacted me to ask if I can help them. I have an artist friend who had to quit painting and just stay at home.” Maryam is concerned that the situation is going to get worse. “I don’t know why so many people are referring to a so-called ‘New Taliban’ – there is nothing new about them, they have not changed, they continue to abuse journalists, persecute opponents and carry on as they want.” Although Maryam finds it difficult to see much hope for the near future of Afghanistan, she honours the many strong women and civilians who risk their lives by publicly speaking up or taking to the streets to demonstrate against the Taliban regime and the limits imposed on girls and women. 

A group hug with some of the particpants after the talk. Photo: Ortenheim Photography

A Night with Buddha

In 2001, the Taliban destroyed two world heritage listed Buddha-statues, carved into a mountainside, in Bamiyan. Twelve years later, in 2013, Maryam started the festival “A Night with Buddha” to commemorate the statues, create dialogue and raise awareness around the importance of culture, art and identity. Maryam describes the event as an attack on the identity of the people and felt it was important to oppose the mindset of the Taliban and the systematic attacks on art, artists, women and human rights. Although it was possible for a woman to organise the festival as a woman, the challenges were numerous and many groups attempted to oppose and hinder the festival from taking place.

Ethnic discrimination and power-scrambles

Maryam describes long-seated tensions and power-scramble between the four largest ethnic groups in Afghanistan. “My husband worked with Hazara-music, and so many reacted negatively to his work. They asked questions about why he was playing Hazara-music or singing in his local dialect. Our music, our faces and our dialect were haram (shame).” Hamid received many threats and was attacked on several occasions. It culminated when he was attempted run over by a car. Hamid survived, but broke his arm and was not able to play his instrument for two years.  

“Our music, our faces and our dialect were haram.”

Moving to Norway 

Maryam and her husband Hamid Sakizada were forced to leave Afghanistan when it got too dangerous to stay there. In 2013 they were able to find refuge in Harstad, a small city in the north of Norway, as part of the ICORN program. Although it has been difficult to be so far away from her family, the support from Safemuse, ICORN, the municipality of Harstad and locals has helped Mariam and Hamid to rebuild their lives in Norway.  Mariam has been able to put her experiences from Afghanistan to good use and has for the past two years been involved with the local cultural festival, “Festspillene i Nord-Norge”. 

Speak of Afghanistan

When asked by a youth participant about what young people outside Afghanistan can do to help, Maryam answers: “I always say, don’t be silent. Speak about Afghanistan. Speak of the women who don’t have the same rights as us. Speak of the children who are not allowed to go to school. The Taliban has so much power, but we need to raise our voices, and there is so much power in youth. So, I beg you, speak of Afghanistan.” 

“The Taliban has so much power, but we need to raise our voices, and there is so much power in youth. So, I beg you, speak of Afghanistan.” 

© Safemuse Organisation - Oslo/Norway

]]> Artist in residence meets engaged youth https://safemuse.org/2020/10/10/artist-in-residence-meets-engaged-youth/ Sat, 10 Oct 2020 12:00:34 +0000 https://safemuse.org/?p=3316

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 https://safemuse.org/2020/08/27/meet-the-new-team/ Thu, 27 Aug 2020 09:39:02 +0000 https://safemuse.org/?p=3197

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

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.

© Safemuse Organisation - Oslo/Norway

]]> A CELEBRATION OF ARRESTING MUSIC https://safemuse.org/2019/02/21/music-freedom-day-2019-a-celebration-of-arresting-music/ Thu, 21 Feb 2019 08:20:29 +0000 http://safemuse.org/?p=2647

Music Freedom Day 2019: A CELEBRATION OF ARRESTING MUSIC

February 21, 2019

SafeMUSE is joining forces with Freemuse for the Music Freedom Day event in Oslo 3 March, and together we are inviting for a full afternoon/ evening program at Kulturhuset and Rock In, Oslo, celebrating artistic freedom.

The artistic program includes the major Afghan Hazara artist Hamid Sakhizada and the Oslo based North Indian classical violinist Harpeet Bansal together on stage for the very first time; Sudanese peace singer Abazar Hamid and legendary Norwegian blues guitarist Knut Reiersrud presenting music from the LIDIO-release We Need Peace; and Libyan visual artist and curator Tewa Barnosa presenting her work live.

Seminar: In addition Srirak Plipat, Executive Director, Freemuse will present some major finds in the upcoming Freemuse report ‘The Status of Artistic Freedom 2019’ and also facts from the report published last autumn, ‘Creativety Wronged: How women’s right to artistic freedom is denied and marginalised’. This will be followed by a panel discussion on WOMAN’S RIGHTS & LGBT RIGHTS ARE JUST HUMAN RIGHTS. The panel: Dounia Benslimane, Director of Development & Partnerships, Racines (the Moroccan NGO ordered by court to dissolute); Tewa Barnosa, artist, curator and gallerist; Alexandra Archetti Stølen, Festival Director, Oslo World; and Jude Dibia, Nigerian author and former ICORN writer-in-residence in Malmö City; in addition to Freemuse’s Srirak Plipat.

.SAFE: The event concludes the SAFE video-series with the launch of SAFE video #5, and presentations of the other videos as well.

The afterparty at the club Rock In presents Iranian black metal artist and former SafeMUSE residence artist Sina and his band From the Vastland.

 

More information and full program at www.musicfreedomday.no

Organized by SafeMUSE and Freemuse. Supported by Fritt Ord, Bergesenstiftelsen, CREO, NOPA and The Norwegian Society of Composers. The afterparty is organized in cooperation with Inferno Metal Festival.

© Safemuse Organisation - Oslo/Norway

]]> NPA’s SOLIDARITY CONFERENCE 2018 https://safemuse.org/2018/09/18/npas-solidarity-conference-2018-activism-from-engagement-to-change/ Tue, 18 Sep 2018 07:39:52 +0000 http://safemuse.org/?p=2950

NPA's Solidarity Conference 2018: "Activism - from engagement to change"

September 18, 2018

Last weekend young solidarity workers of the Norwegian Peoples Aid was gathered at the annual youth conference at Utøya to learn and discuss how to take activism from engagement to creating actual change. Harstad’s Safe Haven Artist and Afghan traditional music star Hamid Sakhizada and activist wife and festival initiator Maryam Sharifi was invited to inspire and talk about their work, together with Jan Lothe Eriksen from SafeMUSE. Hamid talked about Hazara music, the problems related to being a Hazara celebrity in Afghanistan and how to secure the Hazara traditional music and culture in todays Afghanistan. Maryam was asked about her work with the Simorgh Theatre project raising awareness on human rights, women’s and minorities’ rights through theatre, and also the development of the annual A Night With Buddha Festival. The festival was set up in 2012 by Maryam and friends to remember the destruction of the Buddhas of Bamiyan by Taliban in 2001 and the cultural world heritage connected to this. Both also talked about their continuous work in upholding their efforts to document and spread Hazara culture and tradition and also keeping up the Night With Buddha festival both in Afghanistan and also in Norway – from their new home in Harstad, Norway. The conversation was led by journalist Anne Gerd Grimsby Haarr.

The Friday evening was closed with an engaging concert by Hamid Sakhizada, ending with Syrian youths dancing to the Hazara music.   

The annual Solidarity Conference is held at the beautiful innland island of Utøya, Tyrifjorden. For many years the site for the summer camp of the Norwegian Labour Party’s youth organization AUF, and at the 22 July 2011 the crime scene of the terrorist attack on Norway. 69 people killed and 66 were injured at Utøya, and all together the terrorist killed 77 people (in Oslo and at Utøya). Now Utøya is rehabilitated and is used as a summer camp site and a venue for seminars and courses throughout the year school.

© Safemuse Organisation - Oslo/Norway

]]> ECM’s EUROPEAN FORUM ON MUSIC https://safemuse.org/2018/06/20/ecms-european-forum-on-music-focusing-on-artistic-freedom/ Wed, 20 Jun 2018 08:00:20 +0000 http://safemuse.org/?p=2629

ECM's European Forum on Music: FOCUSING ON ARTISTIC FREEDOM

June 20, 2018

From 7 to 10 June 2018 more than 100 representatives from over 20 European countries met at the 8th edition of the European Music Council’s (ECM) European Forum on Music in Oslo, Norway. Among them the new member SafeMUSE.

The theme of the conference was “Looking Back – Looking Forward. The Future of Europe’s Musical Roots”, and included a session on artistic freedom lead by Sara Whyatt, advisor of the Working Group Arts Rights Justice Europe and UNESCO Expert on freedom of artistic expression.

The panel-discussion focused on how to promote and protect music freedom today and what the current trends and challenges there are in doing so, further if there should there be limitations on this freedom (eg. recent UK banning of ‘Drill’ music and ‘ridiculing’ victims of terror in Spain), and not the least what kind of support is needed from musicians and music organizations to promote and protect music freedom – whether it is suppression in Europe, or supporting colleagues in trouble elsewhere.

The panel-discussion also touched upon the problems for artists “from The South” when not obtaining visas to get in security, and the increasingly difficult climate in Europe and the western world for artistic freedom. The panel included Dr. Srirak Plipat (Freemuse), Sina Winter (artist/ From the Vastland) and Jan Lothe Eriksen (SafeMUSE).

Broad artistic program

The artistic program of the conference featured a broad range of genres and performers, including the Norwegian Girls’ Choir and Swedish Sami singer Katarina Barruk plus Sarah-Jane Summers & Juhoni Silvola. In addition SafeMUSE was involved in presenting Sina Winter’s black metal band From the Vastland and Safe Have Harstad’s guest musician Hamid Sakhizada together with Marthe Valle, Håvard Lund and Håkon Mjåset Johansen. The latter in a cooperation with Culture Troms/ Troms County Council. All together a true celebration of musical diversity and high artistic quality.

5 Music Rights

For the EMC and its members the future will very much focus on the implementation and further development of the European Agenda for Music, reflecting the diverse topics and looking at how the

Agenda can be implemented practically also on a local level – some examples were discussed in the project presentations by EMC members.

The core objective of this European Agenda is that Access to music is a human right and that everyone, regardless of physical ability, gender, age, social, cultural or geographical origin, should be able to engage in music from childhood. And the number one formulated Music Right is “The right for all children and adults and the right for all musical artists to express themselves musically in all freedom.”

The idea for the European Agenda for Music emerged from discussions among EMC members in autumn 2012 about the future of music in Europe. Recognizing the need for action, the EMC reached out to music stakeholders across the continent. And the European Agenda for Music was developed out of a continent-wide consultation launched by the European Music Council (EMC). Reaching out to the entire music sector, it identifies the sector’s collective needs and sets out priorities for the future. A powerful confirmation of the European music sector’s desire to join together in the promotion of a common cause, the Agenda details which directions to pursue in order to ensure a music sector that remains strong, fair, innovative and diverse in a rapidly changing world.

MORE INFORMATION/ PRESS RELEASE and PHOTOES from EMC HERE

© Safemuse Organisation - Oslo/Norway

]]> MALMO SAFE HAVENS REPORT 2017 https://safemuse.org/2018/05/28/malmo-safe-havens-report-2017-i-dont-give-them-the-chance-to-censor-my-songs-in-any-way/ Mon, 28 May 2018 07:44:23 +0000 http://safemuse.org/?p=2614

Malmö Safe Havens report 2017: - I don’t give them the chance to censor my songs in any way...

May 28, 2018

The Report from the Safe Havens Conference in Malmö 6-8 December last year is now available online. An extensive report by Michael Schmidt with photos by Stefan Landenberg and Ava Hanning, giving an in-depth insight to the conference themes last year ranging from how to combat hate speech and cyber-bullying, to how the Arab world’s artistic and intellectual Diasporas are dealing with the somewhat deflated atmosphere in the wake of the erosion of the promise of the so-called “Arab Spring”.

The main theme for the conference was “Artists and Movements”, and the days in Malmö started out with two artist presentations, and this is (in brief) from Michael Schmidt’s report:

As the trajectory of a falcon, underscored by the rhythm provided by musicians Nariman Hodjati and Masih Madani, elegant Iranian dancer-choreographer Shahrokh Moshkin Ghalam spun dervish-like in a widening gyre, his svelte movements embracing the widening world of the arts, from the subatomic tracery of its paints and inks to the furthest reaches of its Diasporas. To the awed appreciation of his audience, Sahrokh’s feet stirred the dust motes on the floorboards of the onion-domed Moriska Paviljongen, site of the fourth gathering of Safe Havens: the Malmö Meetings. Initiated in 2013, Safe Havens is the premiere international gathering of activists in the field of art, as well as organisations that monitor the safety of creatives worldwide – some of which host artists in exile in extreme circumstances. Held in a contemplative, dynamic and engaged atmosphere over 6-8 December 2017, delegates and artists from across the world were delighted to hear that funding had been secured for a 2018 edition of the gathering.

Two key discussions – backed by stirring performances – demonstrated the universal, and in many cases, insidious nature of censorship against the arts. The theme was initiated by Norwegian cellist and SafeMUSE co-founder Jan Lothe Eriksen, interviewing Norwegian pop-star Pål Moddi Knutsen whose personal journey to a rather shocked awareness of the global prevalence of censorship was enlightening. Moddi’s album and book project Unsongs: Forbidden Stories tells the stories behind twelve outlawed songs from Mexico to Britain to Israel to Vietnam. 

Moddi said the roots of this project that altered the direction of his career so profoundly was that over 2013-2014, based on the success of his sweet nostalgic pop tune House by the Sea, he had been touring the world launching an album in English and Norwegian.

“When I stepped into this world of politically-charged, controversial, angry, pointy music, it amazed me how far musicians were willing to go in order to get their message out – and we are of course at this conference because of some of these musicians who have really gone lengths to sing what they believe in… These are musicians with a message: that message was so strong I couldn’t resist it as a listener.”

Another artist in movement is the Vietnamese artist Mai Khoi. Michael Schmidt reports:

“After the nomination [to Parliament], I kind of moved to another way. I have many people who support me, but also many people resist me… After the nomination, I was banned from singing in public in Vietnam because the government doesn’t like my sounds and I don’t give them the chance to censor my songs in any way. Instead I give concerts in a private place but the police still come to my concerts and make difficulties for the owner of venue.” These discrete private concerts for a select group of only about 40 guests have been raided by armed and plain-clothes police who fine the venue host as a way of discouraging support for her. So Mai turned to Facebook where she is followed by more than 46,000 people, both to get her message out via live screenings of her unlicensed concerts and to give herself a profile that helps protect her.

The conference was hosted by the Culture Department of Malmö City and organized in partnership with the Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) and SafeMUSE, the conference gathered organizations, activists, artists, and writers involved in issues concerning free speech, artistic freedom, and the protection of artists at risk.

READ THE FULL REPORT HERE

© Safemuse Organisation - Oslo/Norway

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