EU-Iceland Cultural Cooperation Celebrated in Akureyri

Akureyri Art Museum was buzzing with energy when the EU Delegation sponsored event "Europe in Focus" took place during the Boreal Screendance Festival at Akureyri Art Museum. Despite stormy weather, the event saw a great turnout of local festival-goers, artists, local politicians as well as the Mayor of Akureyri, Ms. Ásthildur Sturludóttir, all of whom braved the storm to enjoy an evening of European cultural celebration.

Highlights of the evening included four screendance videos by European (EU) choreographers and video-artists. Before and after the special screenings, guests could enjoy multiple different art installations of the festival while also enjoying a selection of food and drinks provided by the EU Delegation to Iceland.

The screendance pieces screened during "Europe in Focus" were:

"Queens of Unwanted Things" by Anna Holström - Sweden

//medranto// by Curro Rodríguez - Spain

Osmose by Eva Motreff - France

Ruins Within Ruins by Lefteris Parasyris - Greece.

In her speech, the EU Ambassador to Iceland, Ms. Clara Ganslandt, said:

For 30 years, the EEA Agreement between Iceland and the European Union has served as a bridge connecting our citizens, businesses and artists. [...] In fact, this agreement serves, in many ways, as the basis of the rich and successful cultural cooperation between Iceland and the EU. Iceland's participation in EU programmes, such as Creative Europe, is a great example of the many benefits EEA membership bring as billions of Icelandic króna have been invested in Icelandic creative industries and local artists.

Further underlining the importance of the EEA, the Ambassador said:

Our free movement of people, goods, services and capital have allowed our artists to move freely across borders to collaborate, create and to share their cultures and skills with people across Europe. So, as we celebrate 30 years of the EEA, we are also celebrating 30 years of successful cultural cooperation between Iceland and the EU. - Clara Ganslandt, EU Ambassador to Iceland.

Sigríður Örvarsdóttir, Art Director of Akureyri Art Museum, said:

The EEA has allowed Iceland to actively engage in the EU's cultural programme, Creative Europe, bringing new opportunities for our artists and our cultural institutions to thrive. This partnership has not only expanded our cultural horizons but has also strengthened the bonds between us - Sigríður Örvarsdóttir, Art Director

The EU Delegation thanks the festival organisers and Akureyri Art Museum for the cooperation and for the chance to host such a successful event in Iceland's northern "capital", Akureyri.

Established in 2020, the Boreal Screendance Festival is an international videodance festival which takes place in Akureyri in close cooperation with Akureyri Art Museum. The project promotes collaboration between countries with the main objectives of spreading and sharing videodance in Iceland. Boreal has showcased art pieces from over 80 artists from 17 different countries. The Artistic Director of Boreal is Ms. Yuliana Palacios and the Assistant Director is Mr. Jón Haukur Unnarsson.