Nuuk Nordic Culture Festival Changes Name and Launches New Strategy
The festival will now be called Suialaa Arts Festival.
Nuuk Nordic Culture Festival will celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2025 and will also change its name to Suialaa Arts Festival. This new name reflects the festival's evolution towards focusing more on the Arctic. This shift has been evident in previous festivals and is now formally integrated into the festival's strategy.
“Since 2015, the festival has evolved, and we have listened to both citizens and politicians who wish for a greater focus on the Arctic and less on the Nordic region. The festival will continue to embrace both, but it is important for us to have a Greenlandic name, and the name change signals that we are taking on the role as hosts from here. At the same time, we are internationally oriented, and we are moving away from translating the name – there is only one title for the festival, and we have chosen the English 'Arts Festival,'” says Festival Manager Susanne Andreasen.
Suialaa is a play on the word “breeze.” It signifies a light breeze that blows gently for a moment. It symbolizes that the festival happens here and now and 'moves something.' It also relates to the location of the festival, as Nuuk is a place with a lot of wind, and the festival must adapt depending on how the wind blows. It reflects Nuuk’s weather and the festival's nature. The word is also easy to pronounce and inviting. The decision to change the name was made by both Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq (the municipality of Sermersooq) and the Nordic Institute in Greenland, the festival's owners. The name was selected by a working group of artists collaborating with the festival, including people from Greenland’s National Theatre, Katuaq Cultural Centre, the Central Library, and Nuuk Art Museum, among others. Vivi Sørensen from The National Theatre of Greenland came up with the word Suialaa, which received broad support.
“Suialaa is also a tribute to Kunngi – one of our greatest artists. Kunngi (Frederik Kristensen) has been active in poetry, music, visual arts, and theater, encompassing almost everything the festival represents. Kunngi has written a poem titled 'Suialaa,' and we really like this poetic form of the word,” concludes Susanne Andreasen.
Along with the name change, Suialaa Arts Festival has created a strategy for 2024-2027, which is now being launched and implemented. In developing the strategy, citizens' wishes were considered through a survey, and interviews were conducted with various artists and cultural actors, among others.
Mayor Avaaraq S. Olsen says, “It is through the festival’s close collaboration with cultural institutions in Nuuk that we take collective responsibility for a rich cultural life. I think that is important. Additionally, the festival has committed to promoting sustainable practices within art and culture, which we also prioritize highly in the municipality. This includes, for example, deciding that from now on, entry will be free for everyone under 18. I hope this will benefit many.”
Susanne Andreasen continues, “In connection with the name change, an updated visual identity for the festival has been created, and we look forward to launching it on our website and social media. It takes a little time to update everything, so we hope people will bear with us if there are any errors at the beginning of the transition. Even though there is a long time until the next festival, we are not standing still. We are working on events both in the country and abroad, collaborating with Greenlandic, Arctic, and Nordic partners. There are also plenty of tasks to keep our network warm and active, plan, fundraise, and promote the festival and Greenlandic art and culture widely. As always, people are welcome to contact us with good ideas,” concludes the festival manager.
Pauliina Oinonen, Acting Director of NAPA, says, “I think it is an ambitious strategy that aims to prioritize and work with artistic expressions deeply rooted in the Greenlandic and Arctic context while remaining open and relevant to a global audience. I look forward to following the festival in the future.”
Fact Box
· Nuuk Nordic Culture Festival was started in 2015 and is owned by NAPA – The Nordic Institute in Greenland and
Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq. The festival has been held every two years since then.
· From May 2024, the festival will be called Suialaa Arts Festival.
· The next festival will be held from October 23-26, 2025, marking the 10th anniversary and the sixth festival.
· The festival is Greenland’s largest recurring cultural event, gathering about 200 artists, 100 volunteers, and 2500 participants in Nuuk
every two years.
· The festival covers all art forms, including music, theater, dance, visual arts, architecture, etc.
· The new logo and visual identity were created by Arny Mogensen from Bolt Lamar.
· Kunngi's poem Suialaa** can be found in the poetry collection: ‘Ippassaq Ullumeqarani Aqagu’
The new strategy in short
Motivation
Suialaa Arts Festival believes that art and culture:
· provide an opportunity for gathering and community beyond the ordinary.
· are a human right, not a privilege.
· are an important industry in the development of society.
Mission
To produce an inclusive and relevant festival that:
· develops a stronger awareness and pride among our audience and participants in the Arctic identity and representation of
indigenous peoples.
· takes on the role a host for providing a good experience.
· contributes to the development of a healthier local community.
Strategic Goals 2024-2027
· Improve program diversity
· Strengthen core values
· Optimize communication, including fine-tune ticket options
· Sustainability