The Småland triennial 2023 is the first instance of a recurring collaboration between art institutions, art practitioners and smaller art societies. The triennial aims to encourage a better cultural infrastructure throughout Småland. Through an explorative approach, encompassing pedagogical contributions and artistic projects, artists and the public will interact on local and global issues around the designed living environment, nature, climate, biological diversity and how it all relates to the preconditions in Småland. The Småland triennial will take place in different places throughout the county during the spring and summer of 2023. They all have a different setting, but share a focus on creating participation and exchange of knowledge.
The theme for this year’s triennial “Små Land” (Small Land) stems from the historical name used to describe the chequered landscape of Småland. The name refers to the many “small lands” that were once merged to form one geographical area. Plantations of spruce and virgin forests as carriers of mysticism today rub shoulders with warehouses and local microbreweries. Red cottages, coastal towns, inland villages, meadows and lakes are all part of this vast county. The new Småland is a place where the urban hum and the quiet of emptiness collide both powerfully and silently. Small Land is a thematic starting point initiating both the geography of the county and the challenges it faces, now and in the future. It is free to interpretation by the different practitioners and the sum total of its parts will become apparent only when the first edition of the triennial is completed.
As the three year long art project Nya Småland (New Småland) concluded, a will remained to continue to explore, visualise and activate the art map of Småland. As a result, Konstfrämjandet Småland was founded in 2022, on an initiative by Vandalorum, Smålands Konstarkiv, Kalmar konstmuseum, Virserums Konsthall, Växjö Konsthall, Österängens Konsthall and The Glass Factory, in collaboration with the Linneaus University. Konstfrämjandet Småland is the principal of the Småland Triennial which is realised with the support of the Swedish Arts Council, Postkodsstiftelsen, Region Jönköpings län, Region Kalmar län and Region Kronoberg.
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For more information about Konstfrämjandet, visit this webpage.