UW Honors in Denmark: Colonialism, Culture and Public Art Activism: Current Event: Aarhus Festuge

Sunday, September 3, 2023

Current Event: Aarhus Festuge

Hej igen! This is Brielle (she/her/hers) reporting on a recent current event in Denmark. Have you noticed the art, music, and crowds in Aarhus this week? While the lively atmosphere has certainly kept us up at night, this excitement is the Aarhus Festuge, or the Aarhus Festival Week! It runs from August 25 - September 3, overlapping with our excursion in Aarhus. This festival includes all kinds of public art, such as live music, theater, food, art creation, and art observation. This festival was held for the first time in 1965 as an experiment to present Aarhus culture and innovations on a more global scale. Now, the event is one of the largest cultural festivals in Northern Europe, with over 1,000 events happening in 10 days. The theme for this year’s festival was “Mind the Gap,” emphasizing how we must respect each other’s differences and also ensure they do not divide us. The festival occurs annually starting on the last Friday in August and lasting for 10 days.

This festival reminds me of our public art program topic, especially when considering who the public is. This festival has free entry with opportunities to observe, interact with, and create art. This is true public art since it is made by, interacted with, and observed by the public. This festival is also a unique way to highlight local artists and culture to ensure more voices are heard and accessible to the general public. The international scale of the festival encourages greater participation, expanding the definition of public. Additionally, the art at the festival is meant to challenge norms and unite cultures and traditions, really tying into our program themes of art as activation and activism. Today is the last day of the festival, so be sure to check it out for opportunities to observe, engage with, and create activating art!