We are constantly working to improve and want Borealis to be a festival where everyone thrives – a festival with the lowest possible threshold to enter, a big heart and crazy music!
If you have 5 minutes, we would be very happy if you could answer this year’s survey and help us improve! By answering you can also enter the prize draw for tickets to Borealis 2026!
Bastard Assignments talk about their new piece PIGSPIGSPIGS – from homespun charm to folk horror – in the new edition of The Wire!
Written by Robert Barry
Composer Tze Yeung Ho gives an insight in to the story, motivation and process of the making of his new opera Nara – imperial decline, belonging, and composing in a «third space» all feature in this behind the scenes conversation with artistic director Peter Meanwell.
You can now book your sauna experiences during Borealis at laugaren.no!
During Borealis, Finnish sauna owner, architect and musician Tuomas Toivonen takes residence at Bergen’s unique floating sauna Laugaren. Transforming the sauna itself into an ambient sonic instrument he creates a dynamic sonic layer that emanates from the sauna building itself.
Sonic Sauna can be experienced at all times the sauna is open during the festival. In addition, there are some extra unique sessions with Tuomas on the programme.
Bastard Assignments talk about family, England and their new music theatre piece PIGSPIGSPIGS in Van Magazine, coming to Borealis 15 March!
Written by Hugh Morris
Photo by Alexandra Waespi
You can now find the entire Borealis programme in the Broadcast event app! The app is free and requires no login. It’s easy to see everything that’s happening, buy tickets and dive into the programme – straight through your phone!
Five days filled with groundbreaking sound experiences, flashy costumes and clashes of tradition and innovation – from the mountain top to the icy fjord, from world premieres for large ensembles to quiet listening – this year’s festival will take you on a journey through the unexpected, daring and fun! Explore the programme now and join us as we celebrate Sound, Space and Community!
128 years ago, at the edge of the forest in Bergen/Birgon where Kanadaskogen meets Liavatnet, Bergenser and tourists would pay to go and see a group of Sami people and their reindeer, displayed as exotic curiosities.
Skogen forteller/Meahccehallan presents a new commissioned sound work for this area of forest by Sámi artist, writer, politician and activist Katarina Dorothea Isaksen, in partnership with the Birgon ja biras sámiid searvi. Saturday 1 February, 14:00–15:00, in the forest area by Tennebekk Turparkering
Get your ears excited for Borealis 2025! Before we dive into five full days of experimental music in March we invite you to one more Borealis Listening Club next Tuesday, with our very special guest; interdisciplinary artist, composer and musician Camille Norment! Camille comes to Studio 207 to share music and sound that inspires her artistic practice and conceptual framework of cultural psychoacoustics.
Tuesday 21 January, 19.00–21.00, Studio 207 – free entrance
Listen to artists Maya Al Khaldi and Sarouna talk about the Palestinian music scenes and about their own musical approaches and artistic practices in a new episode of SON[I]A, recorded by Radio Web MACBA at Borealis 2024.
In the podcast, they question the electronic music genre from a decolonial point of view and talk about the issues around fusion and the exoticisation of cultural expression. Folklore emerges as a complex and often disputed concept. The conversation touches on the tensions between the archive and lived experience, the challenges of non-existent or inaccessible archives, and the importance of preserving cultural heritage. They also reflect on the crucial need for collective mourning as Palestinians and talk about the weight of imposed guilt, and about resilience.
Photo: Frid Lilleskog Tronstadt/ Borealis
