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The Project Stavanger2018

Stavanger is the European Capital of Culture in 2008, along with Liverpool (UK), a culture party that will last until 31 December 2008.

It is Norway’s largest cultural arrangement with a budget of 300 mil. Nkr (c. 38 mil. Euro) and shall provide spectacular experiences and entertainments of a high international quality. There will be fireworks and parties throughout the year from 12 January 2008.

But, 355 days later, it’s all over.

Stavanger is the fourth largest city in Norway, with 110,000 residents, and has been the country’s centre for the oil industry since the 1970s.

Stavanger 2008 is a cultural colossus without comparison from where local cultural actors have a unique opportunity to show themselves, to be inspired and to accumulate fresh experiences – and to ask:

What happens afterwards?

On the 15 September 2005 the artist Trond Hugo Haugen launched the project Stavanger2018, an initiative to draw attention to the need for an infrastructure to support the visual arts in the region. Today this project has grown to include many other cultural categories within the website www.stavanger2018.no and the campaign KA DÅ ITTEPÅ (What About Afterwards).

The aim of Stavanger2018 is only to focus upon what shall happen after the European Capital of Culture year. The project is a wholly independent body to Stavanger2008 and is not a protest to the European Capital of Culture event.

The first phase (2005/2006) of the Stavanger2018 project drew attention to constructive ideas and healthy criticism via the website www.stavanger2018.no, as well as entering a dialogue with Stavanger Council about long term strategy & planning for after 2008.

The second phase (2007) involved launching the debate on the streets using t-shirts and stickers presenting the query KA DÅ ITTEPÅ. This was followed by a two month program of events focussed upon open debate at good quality arenas.

The third phase (2008) will be a blog in the city’s largest newspaper, Stavanger Aftenblad. Using this activity KA DÅ ITTEPÅ will be constantly active and relevant up to 2009 when a fourth phase begins. At the same time the website www.stavanger2018.no will continue to publish contents about the years following 2008.


The Website www.stavanger2018.no

The centre of Stavanger2018 activities is the website www.stavanger2018.no where interviews, texts and news items are published about life after 2008 and Stavanger’s culture plans therein. All the material is aimed at Norwegian audience and has a welcoming and ironically humoristic tone about the serious content.

One of the most important aims of the website is to promote a constructive discussion about cultural sustainability, and, to raise the contents up to a national level. There is a wide criticism and healthy scepticism to 2008 as a year of culture, but this has not been visible to the whole of Norway. The need for long term results remains local, despite the fact that Stavanger2008 has national status.

Stavanger2018 has ambitions to raise awareness to a national level via its website and local & national media attention.


The Campaign KA DÅ ITTEPÅ

With the aim of focussing attention upon long term solutions Stavanger2018 started the campaign KA DÅ ITTEPÅ (What about afterwards).

These three simple words are marketed through 800 free t-shirts and 7000 stickers throughout the region. The marketing has been dramatically successful: Today the saying (in local Stavanger dialect) has become almost synonymous to the project, and, the years after 2008.

The campaign was built up to a series of KA DÅ ITTEPÅ arrangements between 1 August to 30 September in Stavanger. The aim of the program was to hold debates, lectures and workshops upon the theme.

A total of 14 arrangements were held, amongst these Phil Wood from the English Comedia Consultancy Team was invited to the region for a 3 day residency that concluded with a lecture upon Creative Cities & Stavanger.

There were also held 5 arrangements under the title KA DÅ SOFA; Politicians alongside representatives from the local culture sector were invited to meet for informal public conversations seated on a leather sofa.

The program concluded on 29 September with a beautiful party that included cocktails, music, Ka Då Ittepå archive presentation & an art installation – all with a high celebration factor.

The main aim was, and continues to be, to increase awareness and attention regarding the years after 2008. It has been successful.

In an interview in a local paper, strategy director of Stavanger2008 Rolf Norås described Stavanger2018 as “Stavanger2008’s most important external alliance”.


More information

Informations about Stavanger2008 >> here

Pictures from the KA DÅ ITTEPÅ party 29 Sept 2007 >> here

The KA DÅ ITTEPÅ blog with pictures >> here

The blog at Stavanger Aftenblad, no pictures >> here



(Last update: Nov 2007)