Open Competition: Artists for KUNSTKANTEN, a new and unique outdoor exhibition arena in Bodø

About the role

The Norwegian Sculptors Society (Norsk Billedhoggerforening), Bodø2024, and Bodø Municipality seek five artists for KUNSTKANTEN: a new and unique outdoor exhibition arena in Bodø. This project establishes five art spots—platforms for art—that engage with a city and society undergoing transformation. Bodø, shaped by its military history and coastal landscape, is entering a decade of significant change as the military air base closes and a new urban district emerges.

KUNSTKANTEN invites artists to contribute to a dialogue about urban development, social change, and identity. The project is part of Bodø’s programme as a European Capital of Culture in 2024, with fresh funding to ensure art plays a key role in the city’s evolving narrative.

Responsibilities

• Create a new outdoor artwork that engages with Bodø’s history, expansion, and transformation.
• Develop a proposal in the form of a sketch and project description, detailing the realization of the work.
• Ensure the artwork is completed and ready for installation in Bodø by 12 August 2024.
• Design the work to withstand outdoor conditions for at least two years, with a permanent character.
• Adhere to the constraints of the exhibition spaces, including the use of 4 x 4 m concrete platforms (artworks may extend beyond this but must remain in dialogue with the platform).
• Clarify and obtain approval for any extensions beyond 2m from the platform or interventions in the surrounding environment.
• Note that works requiring electricity, water, or sound are not permitted.
• During the exhibition period (two years), potential sales of the artwork will be handled by the Norwegian Sculptors Society, though the works remain the property of the artists.

Requirements

• Submit a sketch and project description (3D models are not accepted).
• Include a description of materials, ensuring the work can endure outdoor conditions for a minimum of two years.
• Provide a budget and a plan for project execution.
• The sketch must show the work in the correct scale, placed on or in relation to a 4 x 4 m concrete platform. If the work extends beyond the platform, include a sketch showing its placement in relation to the landscape or ground at the chosen location.
• Proposals may target a specific location or remain open to assignment by the jury.
• Artworks must be suitable for public display 24 hours a day in all weather conditions.

Locations

Five locations along Bodø’s coastal path are being established. All locations, except Molorota, will feature a concrete foundation (4 x 4 m), either flush with the ground or elevated 10–20 cm. These platforms serve as a base for the artworks but do not limit their size or placement, provided they remain in dialogue with the platform. The municipality has pre-approved locations for sculptures up to 6 x 6 m.

Funding and Remuneration

• Production funding of 350,000 NOK per selected artwork.
• Remuneration of 50,000 NOK per work for the two-year exhibition period.

Jury

The jury will consist of representatives appointed by:

• Bodø2024
• Bodø Municipality
• Bodø kunstforening (art society)
• North Norwegian Art Centre
• The Norwegian Sculptors Society (acting as the jury’s secretary)

The selection process will follow the Norwegian Sculptors Society’s competition rules.

Key Dates

• 16 May 2023: Open call announced.
• 14 June 2023: Presentation of the exhibition area for competition applicants (registration required via email: nbf@skulptur.no).
• 15 September 2023: Deadline for submitting proposals.
• 25 August 2023: Winners and sculpture locations announced.
• 6 September 2023: Presentation of sculpture locations for selected artists (travel expenses covered).
• 2 August 2024: Deadline for delivery of finished artworks in Bodø.
• 14 September 2024: Opening event (travel expenses covered).

Background

Bodø, a city of 50,000 people, is situated between the ocean and mountains, with a history intertwined with its military air base. Established as NATO’s northernmost air force base after World War II, the base occupied half of Bodø’s peninsula until its closure in 2022. The city is now poised for a new chapter, with plans to develop a sustainable, civilian district over the next 50–100 years.

As a European Capital of Culture in 2024, Bodø aims to foster dialogue about identity and urban renewal through art. KUNSTKANTEN traces the city’s historical and social evolution—from prehistoric settlements to its reconstruction post-WWII and its modern identity as a transportation hub. The project invites artists to contribute to this narrative of change, as Bodø’s landscape and boundaries continue to transform.