ABOUT PLATFORM GÁTT

Platform GÁTT is a Nordic Council of Ministers’ project led by Reykjavík Arts Festival in 2019-2022. The main aim of the project is to ‘open up doors’ for young artists into the festival arena in the Nordic region.

The Icelandic word gátt derives from old Norse and means doorway.

Five high profile multi-disciplinary arts festivals and establishments in the Nordic countries joined together in Platform GÁTT to highlight and support young emerging professional artists from the region through a series of events. The participating institutions and festivals are: Reykjavík Arts Festival

Bergen International Festival

Nuuk Nordic Culture Festival

Helsinki Festival

The Nordic House in the Faroe Islands.

WHO IS IT FOR?

Platform GÁTT invited around 150-200 Nordic–based young artists practicing across various disciplines. The participants were at an early stage of their careers at the time of the project.

WHAT DOES THE PARTICIPATION OFFER?

The aim of Platform GÁTT was to be a gateway for emerging artists to be presented at high profile festivals and venues in the Nordic region.

The artists, who represent all arts disciplines, took part in a series of events at the partner festivals. The events were designed in close collaboration between the partner institutions and the artists themselves as an opportunity to present themselves and their art, network and challenge themselves artistically.

Platform GÁTT aimed to serve as a safe space for the artists where they could have their voice heard without prejudice. Through events, workshops, exhibitions, concerts and other activities the project became a gateway for creating a community and sparkled many future collaborations among the participants.

Platform GÁTT became not just a valuable forum for discussions, networking and presentation but also a place for moving the arts and the arts festivals forward.

STEERING COMMITTEE

Vigdís Jakobsdóttir - Artistic director & CEO of Reykjavik Arts Festival
Anders Beyer (2019-2021) - Artistic Director & CEO of Bergen International Festival
Maarko Ahtisaari - Artistic Director of Helsinki Festival
Gunn Hernes - Director of Nordic House in Torshavn
Mats Bjerde - Director of NAPA in Nuuk
Arnfríður Sólrún Valdimarsdóttir - Senior Advisor at Ministry of Education, Science and Culture