See the archive of this Transborder Cafe on Morgenbladet portalen
Moderator: Thomas Nilsen
Panalists: Aileen Espiritu (Barents Institute), Elizaveta Molodtsova
(Nikel Contemporary Art Center), Guro Brandshaug (Kirkenes Næringshage) and Ingrid Valan (Pikene på Broen).
Music: ‘eredovoe udogestvo’ – Roman Osminkin, Anton Komandirov and Anastasia Vepreva (RU)
Artistic Contribution: Fredrik Ödman (SE)
Omstilling [Adaptation] is the buzzword for today’s municipal and regional developers. Propositions to enhance the service and industrial sector often take precedence with tourism coming second and culture sometimes excluded entirely.
Culture is usually not mentioned in the strategy papers of specialists envisioning our future. Is that the right thing to do in difficult economic times? To cut on ‘luxury’ expenditures like sports or culture? In this Transborder Café, we invite you to take part and discuss strategies and plans for the future of Kirkenes – the role culture can play in developing the town and other factors which impact on development. Could Kirkenes’ unique geopolitical location be a factor in growing the towns cultural identity? Could expertise and specific knowledge of this cross-border region be the key to town development?