Cultural Policy in Oslo

Cultural policy

Cultural Policy in Oslo is managed by the City of Oslo’s Department for Culture and Business Development and its Agency for Cultural Affairs, holding both municipal and county functions. Main responsibilities include the city’s libraries and the Munch Museum. The Agency incorporates the city archives and cultural properties such as the Vigeland Museum and park, as well as the city’s art collection, and administers various grant schemes and subsidised spaces for artists. 

Oslo serves as the nucleus of the country’s creative sector, hosting the largest portion of its creative economy. The City of Oslo’s cultural policy aims to foster inclusivity and community cohesion while nurturing a diverse cultural scene.

Cultural programmes

The city has taken measures to address increasing economic inequality and population growth, such as utilising municipal buildings, particularly schools and libraries, to provide spaces for cultural activities outside regular hours. Additionally, the city offers a limited number of studios and production spaces to professional artists at rates below market prices, and a City Art Fund is used to purchase and commission art for public spaces and buildings. 

Numerous arts and culture grants facilitate diverse cultural offerings throughout the city. Oslo’s municipal grant schemes are designed to fuel a vibrant cultural landscape by providing targeted financial support to a diverse range of artistic and community initiatives. These schemes aim not only to enhance the physical urban environment – through the physical upgrading of commons and facilitating art and culture in public space – but also to empower cultural actors and local entrepreneurs to experiment, collaborate, and innovate. In doing so, the grants help ensure that art and culture remain at the heart of urban life.  

Developing the cultural skills and opportunities for children and young people is a central focus for the city. The municipal Oslo School of the Arts (Kulturskolen) offers subsidised courses and training across a wide range of arts, crafts, music, gaming, theatre, and dance, all of which are in high demand. Several cultural institutions are also engaged in projects aimed at reaching youth and other demographics that infrequently participate in cultural activities, encouraging them to express themselves and explore potential careers in the creative sector.  

Cultural heritage and infrastructure

With a history dating back to around 1000 AD, Oslo is the historic capital of Norway and serves as its political and economic centre. Oslo is strongly influenced by its natural surroundings; 68% of the municipal area consists of publicly accessible green spaces, including the Marka forest that extends both within and beyond the city limits. A well-developed public transportation system, along with innovative urban architecture that harmonises with the environment, has created a city where tourism, sustainability, and modern business coexist successfully. Oslo is experiencing growth, with over 725,000 residents in the municipality of Oslo and more than one million people in the broader urban area. 

The City is currently revitalising the Oslo Medieval Park (Middelalderparken), blending cultural heritage with new spaces for learning, recreation, and community. Bringing the medieval harbour to life by the old seashore, the park will also feature an amphitheater and activity zones, creating a meeting place where past and present connect. In terms of cultural infrastructure, the main branch of the Deichman Public Library, inaugurated in June 2020, reimagines the concept of a library by offering visitors opportunities to watch films, create podcasts, learn to play the piano, sew garments, use 3D printers, and, of course, read books. In 2021, the Munch Museum, a 12-story building dedicated to Edvard Munch, modernism and contemporary art opened its doors. In June 2022, the National Museum was unveiled on the Aker Brygge harbour front. These significant downtown projects are complemented by infrastructure and measures to provide knowledge, skills, and culture to children and young people at the local level. 

Community engagement, social impact and policy innovation

The intersection between the city and the natural environment has always been a focal point for cultural and other projects, but it has taken on new urgency and comprehensiveness due to the climate emergency. Since 2016, the Car Free Liveability and the More Urban Life programmes have progressively restricted traffic from an expanding network of streets in Oslo’s historic city centre in favor of walkability, urban greening and cultural activities. The city is committed to rethinking everything, from building practices to tourism and festivals, to create a more sustainable future. 

With an eye toward the future, the City of Oslo is determined to cultivate the creativity of its younger citizens, make significant strides in environmental action, and break down demographic and socio-economic barriers to arts participation, all in pursuit of a society where all citizens can reap the benefits of a vibrant cultural heritage. 

© Images Courtesy of Getty Images/Canva; City of Oslo