Festspillene - Open door

What happens when one of the Nordics’ largest cultural festivals opens its doors – not just to audiences, but to young people who need a way into community and working life? Through Open Door, art and culture become more than an experience. They become a pathway to belonging, confidence and opportunity.

About the project

Open Door is an inclusion initiative developed by the Bergen International Festival. Its aim is to lower barriers to cultural participation while offering young people a pathway into work and community.

The project focuses on young people at risk of exclusion. Through work training, volunteering and active participation in the festival, participants gain experience, responsibility and a sense of belonging.

What the Kavli Trust funding will support

The Kavli Trust’s funding will support the development and implementation of the project over three years, focusing on:

• work training for around 150 young people
• training volunteers in inclusive and relational hosting
• developing a model for inclusive audience engagement
• documentation and evaluation for long-term impact

About Bergen International Festival

The Bergen International Festival is one of the largest festivals for music and performing arts in the Nordics, attracting 70,000–80,000 visitors each year.

It brings together international and national artists and aims to make art and culture accessible to a broader audience.