Nordic Culture Forum in the Faroe Islands

13–16 April 2027 (including the days of arrival and departure)

What lessons can the Nordic region learn from the Faroe Islands' commitment to giving children and young people access to cultural and music communities – taking the music school system of the Faroe Islands as its point of departure?

Highlights

Music School in Tórshavn

One of the Faroe Islands' most striking cultural buildings. We will visit the school, meet key figures and policymakers and attend performances by some of its most talented students.

The Nordic House

A Nordic cultural landmark with views of town, sea and mountains. This is where we meet Nordic cultural practitioners, researchers and professionals.

Cultural life of the Faroe Islands

A full-day visit to a range of cultural and learning environments for children and young people in Tórshavn, Runavík, Fuglafjørður and Klaksvík.

What lessons does the Nordic region have to learn from the Faroe Islands?

For years, the Faroe Islands have given high priority to ensuring children and young people's access to music and culture. Around 25% of all schoolchildren in the Faroe Islands take music and singing lessons after school – for a fee that is typically far lower than in countries such as Denmark.

This is the result of long-term commitment and a music school system that, through sustained development, has become crucial to the cultural life of children and young people in the Faroe Islands.

At Nordic Culture Forum, you will gain insight into the lessons learned and experience first-hand the structures and choices underlying these results. Through presentations, dialogue, case studies and professional visits, you will meet the people and environments working every day to widen the access of children and young people to cultural and music communities.

Programme

Tuesday, 13 April

Arrival in the Faroe Islands

Individual arrivals.
Check-in at Hotel Føroyar, Tórshavn.

7:00 am – 9:00 pm

Welcome dinner and Nordic networking evening at Hotel Føroyar.

Wednesday 14 April

09:00 am

Bus transfer to the Music School of Tórshavn

09:15–11:45 am

The Music School in Tórshavn: the Faroe Islands' music school system in practice

Welcome by Ólavur Olsen, Head of the Music School.
Guided tour of the internationally acclaimed music school building.
Performance by Faroese music school students.
Presentation by Bárður á Lakjuni, Faroese Minister for Children, Education, Research and Culture.
Title to be confirmed.
Q&A
Coffee, tea and refreshments during the break.
Introduction to the Faroese music school system
by Martin Mouritsen, Director.
The Music School of Tórshavn: the municipality’s investment and vision by a representative of Tórshavn Municipality.

11:45 am

Bus transfer to the Nordic House

12–3:45 pm

The Nordic House in Tórshavn: Nordic perspectives on children and young people’s access to music

Lunch
Welcome and introduction to the Nordic House A brief introduction to the House’s role and vision as a meeting place for music, art and culture, with a particular focus on the place of children and young people in cultural communities.
Peter Tulinius Krarup, Director of the Nordic House.
Title of the presentation to be confirmed.
Bernharður Wilkinson, former conductor of the Faroese Symphony Orchestra.
Music and Culture Schools, Participation and Belonging: Accessible to Whom?
Sidsel Karlsen, Professor of Music Education at the Norwegian Academy of Music and Docent at the Faculty of Arts in Helsinki.
Nordic keynote speaker to be announced.
KALAS – Growing Up Together Through Music.
Kalas is a group of four young women who have played together since they began music lessons in their first year at school. Today, they form an accomplished Faroese folk music ensemble. At the same time, two of them are studying to become teachers, one is studying medicine and one is studying engineering. Their story shows how a musical community formed in childhood can have a lasting influence, whatever educational or career path a person chooses.

7:00–9:00 pm

Dinner with fellow participants in Tórshavn.

Thursday, 15 April

10:00 am – 9:00 pm

A full day of professional visits to selected Faroese cultural and learning environments

A full-day programme of visits to a wide variety of cultural and learning environments in the Faroe Islands.
Planned destinations include Tórshavn, Runavík, Fuglafjørður and Klaksvík.
The programme provides insight into how cultural life for children and young people is supported and developed across different communities in the Faroe Islands.
Lunch and an afternoon coffee/tea break are included.

5:30 pm

Dinner with fellow participants in Klaksvik at the new KG Hotel, overlooking Klaksvík harbour and the surrounding mountains.

9:00 pm

Arrival at Hotel Føroyar

Friday 16 April

Departure from the Faroe Islands

Breakfast at the hotel.
Individual departure.

Please note: Participants wishing to extend their stay in the Faroe Islands are welcome to contact us for guidance on additional nights.

Subject to minor changes. The final program will be published in mid-October 2026.

The participation fee includes

Three nights at Hotel Føroyar (all rooms have sea views).
The professional programme on 14 April 2027 at the Music School and Nordic House, Tórshavn.
Professional visits on 15 April 2027 in Tórshavn, Runavík, Fuglafjørður and Klaksvík.

Meals:

Three breakfast buffets.
Two lunches, including 1 bottle of water.
Two afternoon breaks for coffee/tea and cake.
Three dinners (2- and 3-course menus).

Please note: Drinks at dinner are not included in the participation fee.

Practical information

Date 13–16 April 2027

Price € 1.150 EURO – the price does not include flights or transport between the airport and the hotel

Registration deadline No later than 1 December 2026

Accommodation Hotel Føroyar, Tórshavn

Transport We recommend flying with Atlantic Airways, which operates direct flights to the Faroe Islands from several Nordic cities.

Language Nordic languages and English.

Target audience This programme targets Nordic professionals, including:

Heads of music and culture schools.
Local politicians.
Decision-makers in cultural, social and educational administrations.
Representatives from relevant ministerial departments.
Representatives from foundations.
Other professionals who focus on children and young people's access to music, singing and cultural communities.

If you have any questions about the programme, please contact Dorthe Foged at df@nordiccultureforum.dk or +45 2835 9656.

Important information

Registration is binding, as each Nordic Culture Forum event is planned and run for a limited group of participants, with fixed agreements on hotel accommodation, meals and programme content based on the number of participants.

If you are unable to attend, please feel free to transfer your place to a colleague. Please contact the secretariat as soon as possible with the details about the new participant.