Sunday, June 9, 2024

Art in the Arctic: exploring Bodø, Norway, European capital of culture for 2024

The Norwegian town, just inside the Arctic Circle, makes a picturesque (and unusual) setting for a programme of exhibitions, gigs and outdoor activities – and the sun doesn’t set all summer

‘You make more noise when you buy curtains!” California blues singer England Brooks, a Bodø resident for 20 years, gently berates her audience for their typically Norwegian diffidence when asked to join in on a song. They laugh, and at the next attempt sing a tiny louder.

This is the latest in a series of “Live Fridays” held at the PåPir library bar in this small coastal town. One of three capitals of culture this year (the other two are Bad Ischl in Austria and Tartu in Estonia), Bodø (pronounced BOO-duh) is also the first ever inside the Arctic Circle. Continue reading...