Four Arctic universities from Greenland, Finland, Norway and Sweden participated in the project, jointly developing pop-up and touring exhibitions on art and sustainability, producing documentary videos and short films, and conducting research that deepened the understanding of the role of community art in Arctic sustainability transitions.

About the Project called Arctic Expo

Throughout the project, interdisciplinary cooperation was strengthened between universities, local communities, Indigenous and multicultural organisations and civil society actors. The project established a lasting network of collaboration that continues to support dialogue between academic and community-based knowledge systems.

The touring exhibition and short films reached diverse audiences across the Arctic, fostering awareness of sustainability issues through creative and participatory approaches. Research outcomes and artistic processes were disseminated through conference presentations, academic articles, visual essays and university teaching. The project’s digital platform and website further enabled the sharing of methods, artistic works, and research findings, supporting continued cooperation beyond the project period.

By linking the UArctic Thematic Networks Arctic Sustainable Art and Design and Children in the Arctic – Traditional Knowledge and Sustainable Development, the project expanded and reinforced cross-Arctic collaboration. It demonstrated how community-based and art-based initiatives can contribute to sustainability, cultural resilience, and knowledge sharing in the Arctic.

Fieldwork

Local art projects were launched n Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Greenland,. These projects were implemented by the participating universities and the Association Siunissaq and focused on art, place, and social identity in specific Arctic contexts. All projects emphasised sustainability and the promotion of Nordic and Greenlandic values, including peacebuilding, social responsibility, and community resilience. Across Norway, Sweden, Finland and Greenland, a series of local workshops were implemented to develop creative materials and narratives that became integral parts of the Arctic Expo exhibition.

In Greenland, two local projects were carried out. In Maniitsoq, a workshop in collaboration with the Majoriaq Centre used photography to create “sustainability portraits” of young participants and their communities. In Narsaq (2025), the Siunissaq Association supported the Nomadic Hub field workshop and pop-up exhibition, which brought together cross-sector partners and local Indigenous communities. The project developed ways to combine media, film, digital art, and Indigenous Land-Based Learning.

In Finland, the first workshop took place in Utsjoki during the 2024 celebration week dedicated to Sámi astronomer Ándaras Kitti. Community art workshops for different age groups resulted in a pop-up exhibition and contributions to Arctic Expo. A second workshop at the Vikajärvi village school taught students to create ice-fishing videos as part of the Sustainability Portraits initiative. AAE activities were also showcased to decision-makers at Yle’s Aurora event in Levi through short films and youth-produced My Place stories. At the Arctic Spirit Conference in Rovaniemi (2023), an opening performance titled The Solastalgia was created together with local upper-secondary students.

 

In Norway, the Sámi Starry Sky workshop in the South Sámi region engaged teacher education students at Nord University in exploring traditional knowledge and mythology through artistic and inquiry-based approaches. The resulting materials were further developed for Arctic Expo. The Campfire Coffee event, conducted in Saltfjellet, Bodø, and Greenland, collected participants’ personal stories related to campfires and outdoor culture, forming an interactive part of the exhibition.

In Sweden, two Sustainability Portraits workshops at Umeå University’s teacher education programs explored identity, material culture, belonging, and northern ecocultures through textiles, photography, digital self-portraiture, and reflective writing. In addition, children from schools in northern Sweden, Norway, and Finland contributed to the Greetings from the Arctic postcard activity, which presented child-centred perspectives on Arctic life in the Arctic Expo exhibitions in Bodø and Rovaniemi.

Exhibition Catalogues

Guidelines for documenting and representing AAE

Practical guidance and inspiring models for designing and implementing collaborative projects in northern contexts, introducing the framework of New Genre Arctic Art Education.

Handbook

News

Nordplus Horizontal funding for the development of New Genre Arctic Art Education

Art, Community, and Identities in the Arctic – Best Practices for Children, Young People, and Families

Exhibition: The Relate North 2024: New Genre Arctic Art Education

Art Education Exhibition Celebrates Arctic Communities and Collaboration

Arctic Art Education Camped in Narsaq, Greenland

New Genre Art and Art Education in the Arctic exhibition

Arctic Art and Design Education Exhibition Showcased at International Design Week 2025 in Graz, Austria

Collaborations and Joint Initiatives Presented at the FERA Conference 2025