In 2023, Norwegian Crafts, the Danish Arts Foundation and the Nordic Culture Fund initiated a new collaboration to map and develop opportunities for exchange across the Nordic region in the fields of crafts and design. The first step involved identifying existing exchange opportunities at production sites in the Nordics, as well as gathering insights into the experiences and needs of crafts and design practitioners. This was achieved through open calls, offered and administered by Norwegian Crafts and the Danish Arts Foundation in two rounds in 2024. Read more about the open calls here.

Applications submitted through the open calls formed the basis of a research study conducted by the Danish Institute for Cultural Analysis in 2024–25. In addition, the study included in-depth interviews with artists and production sites that received funding from the open calls, alongside data from a questionnaire distributed to the members of the organisations within the Nordic Network of Crafts Associations.

The report presents the benefits and motivation for crafts and design practitioners, as well as the production sites, to participate in and host residencies. It also cites barriers and challenges they experience with such programmes. Following this, the report identifies potentials and development possibilities to strengthen residencies at production sites. Finally, the report offers recommendations from the Danish Institute for Cultural Analysis directed towards crafts and design professionals, production sites, foundations and arts organisations, politicians and decision makers, for a strengthened collaboration across the Nordic region.

Download the report here (in Danish)
English version available from mid-September 2025

Seminar at Stockholm Craft Week

On 1 October 2025, key findings of the report will be presented by the Danish Institute for Cultural Analysis during the seminar International Strategies and Nordic Exchange at the Public Art Agency Sweden (Statens Konstråd), as part of this year’s edition of the annual festival Stockholm Craft Week.

Where: Statens Konstråd, Stockholm, Sweden
When: 09:30–16:30

The event will also feature presentations from participants in the Nordic Exchange Programme and a panel discussion on opportunities for further work to strengthen exchange possibilities across the Nordic region for craft artists and designers.

The seminar is organised by the Swedish Crafts Centre and the Public Art Agency Sweden, in collaboration with Norwegian Crafts and the Danish Arts Foundation.

See the full seminar programme and reserve your tickets here.