Based on older and younger people’s stories about their respective dreams for the future, a dance and music theatre performance is created, inspired by the interaction between young and old, which gives the audience insight and awareness to continue working against age segregation in today’s society.

ELDERLY

Through study circles with elderly participants, research is conducted and the project team draws inspiration, while the seniors also gain influence over the stories that emerge. During the process, educators collaborate with staff and elderly participants. Conversations explore topics such as life as a pensioner, the changes that occur when we stop working, and how our identity changes. What happens to us when we lose loved ones, and how do we feel about facing death ourselves?

Based on the documentary stories, the project’s playwright Cristina Gottfridsson, in collaboration with director and project manager Ronny Danielsson, creates a fictional universe with ten fictional characters who form the backbone of a theatre performance.

YOUNG PEOPLE

During the project, working materials will be created that can inspire teachers to engage in discussions and activities about generations. Through school visits or collaborations with teachers who collect students’ stories, the project team asks upper secondary school students to talk about their dreams and visions for the future. In the performance ‘Villa Vilse’, stories from young and older project participants come together in a work that depicts the similarities and differences in different generations’ views on life.

The performance will be staged by Teater Inc in Malmö, and the plan is for all secondary school classes that want to and are able to do so to have the opportunity to experience the performance and then, back at school, continue the conversation about issues relating to generations and the future.

AUDIENCE

In the final part of the project, the finished two-act performance – filled with vitality and energy, humour and seriousness in many moving stories – will meet its audience. Teater Inc will arrange for both younger and older people to come and enjoy the performance.

Making the performance accessible to older people requires long-term preparation, suitable performance times, chartered buses and, above all, a moving performance that those who have been involved in the project’s discussions can relate to. Teater Inc will collaborate with local secondary schools on theatre visits, so that young and old have the opportunity to share the experience in the theatre at the same time.

The performances will also be open to the general public, and there are plans to stream the performance to give more people the opportunity to take part in the project and experience the spectacle.

FORM

The artistic team wants to explore how words, silence and music become equal parts of the performance, which combines recorded music and voices with live performances.

Music will play a crucial role, primarily as a dramatic/dramaturgical engine. Music genres and styles will meet and confront each other: classical music and opera will meet house, funk, rap, crunk, indie, pop punk and various forms of multicultural music.

THE PROCESS

During the preparatory work in 2025, material has been collected through meetings with older people and visits to secondary schools. The project’s playwright, director and choreographer will then create a drama from the stories and a workshop will be organised with the older actors. The team will map out the intended audience and develop a concept for the performance.

Autumn 2025 was devoted to rehearsals and production of the play and music, as well as work to find new audiences. Amateurs were engaged as collaborators and a suitable theatre venue was identified and booked. Set design, costumes and props were presented. Production of set design, props and costumes began.

During the winter and spring of 2026, rehearsals continued and the whole thing began to take shape when professional dancers were hired. The rehearsals were followed by the premiere and a run of performances.

THE TEAM

The team also brings together different generations, with two professionals in most roles, which in itself presents an exciting challenge. Artists with many years of experience and knowledge meet newly trained colleagues with the energy to explore untried paths in the artistic process. The project team includes playwright Cristina Gottfridsson, director and project manager Ronny Danielsson, director Rasmus Mononen, choreographers Roger Lybeck and Gustav Mardelius, costume designers Camilla Thulin and Leif Persson, and set designer Martin Chocholousek. The project will also employ interns from relevant educational programmes in several other creative, educational, and administrative roles.

ABOUT TEATER INC

The non-profit association Teater Inc is a contemporary folk theatre in the heart of Malmö with a national focus.

Under the leadership of Ronny Danielsson, one of Sweden’s most prolific and relevant theatre directors, and a team of established artists, Teater Inc combines all media of the performing arts – text, design, movement, music and visual elements – to create dynamic, innovative and relevant theatre experiences.

Read more about Teater Inc and ‘Villa Vilse’ on the website https://www.teaterinc.org/.

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Have you ever stood in a museum and wondered what it would be like to stay behind when the lights go out, the halls empty of visitors, and darkness falls? In November, you’ll have the chance! This unique event will take place on three evenings: November 28, 29, and 30.

Wander through the darkened museum halls, discover unexpected rooms and evocative art. When the tour is over, a new world awaits you downstairs with a DJ, bar and night-time orchestral music with Gränslandet SYMFONIORKESTERN.

Gränslandet – symfonisk fest has changed Stockholmers’ idea of what a classical concert can be. The symphonic festival was founded in 2017 out of a desire to take classical music to new places where it can reach a wider audience. This is well in line with the vision that drives Signatur Foundation Sweden, and since 2018, Signatur has supported Gränslandet through donations to the non-profit association ALMA. Gränslandet – symfonisk fest offers a unique experience that has allowed people to both discover and rediscover classical music.

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Gränslandet creates unique musical experiences for people of all ages, regardless of background and previous musical experience.

Gränslandet at Järvaveckan 2025

In a previous collaboration with the Stockholm nightclub Trädgården, ‘Lilla Gränslandet’ was launched for a younger target group, and in June 2025, Gränslandet’s activities for children appeared at Järvaveckan, with a programme involving instrument tasting and creative recycling workshops, as well as opera costume and ballet rehearsals in collaboration with Young at the Opera.

In addition, Gränslandet performed Astor Piazzolla’s orchestral work “Buenos Aires seasons”, with soloist Leticia Moreno.

For more on Järvaveckan, visit the website: https://jarvaveckan.se/program/

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About Kulturkombo

When young people learn to play an instrument, take classes in acting, dance or circus arts, the course is often focused on a single art form.

By contrast, in Culture Combo, participants will engage in activities involving many different art forms, offering different perspectives on the arts in a creative environment.

Stage design, sound and light technology, prop making, contemporary circus, script training, songwriting and improvisation all come together. Young people are expected to help with the planning, in the creative processes and to influence both content and themes.

KulturAkademin hopes that this project will inspire deeper co-operation between municipalities in the county of Västerbotten, Sweden’s second largest county.

About KulturAkademin

KulturAkademin is a non-profit association that runs the music school in Storuman municipality.  Read more about the organisation on the website: https://kulturakademin.se/

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The choirs involved in the project are the Norwegian youth choir Norges Ungdomskor, the Swedish youth choir Sveriges Ungdomskör (SVUK), the Finnish youth choir Finlands Ungdomskör/Suomen Nuoriskuoro, Rytmisk Ungdomskor from Norway and Syng Selected from Denmark. The participating conductors are Julia Blank, Florian Benfer, Elisa Huovinen, Anthony Trecek-King and Line Groth Friis.

The meeting will happen at the Norbusang Festival so that closer ties can be forged between the national choirs and children’s and youth choirs from all over the Nordic region; Ung i kor knows that the best way to promote the national choirs is to let the singers sing for and with younger singers. During a four-day festival in August, young choir singers aged 9 to 26 from all over the Nordic region will gather in Olso to participate in workshops, concerts, games and socialising. The festival has a strong focus on Nordic languages and on choral singing as an inclusive arena.

The concerts held by the the national youth choirs will be open to the oldest participants of the Norbusang Festival, to the participants of the Nordklang Festival, and to the public. The national choirs will also make customised performances for the younger participants of the Norbusang Festival, as the festival is an important recruitment base for the choirs. Both younger and older singers will be inspired by their communal singing.

The participating choirs

Norges Ungdomskor

By participating in the Norwegian youth choir Norges Ungdomskor talented young singers aged 16 to 26 develop through programmes with inspiring conductors and challenging repertoire, as well as festivals and competitions. Singers are selected through annual auditions and through the choir they get to know other young singers from all over the country. Most participants come from music programmes at upper secondary schools or community colleges, or are students of music in higher education institutions.

Norges Ungdomskor is run by Ung i Kor with the aim of providing training opportunities for choir singers that is lacking in local choirs and regional programmes. Ung i Kor endeavours to ensure that its projects have a positive impact on youth choirs throughout Norway. This is partly because young singers themselves are inspired to further develop as ensemble musicians with choral singing as a musical expression, and partly because the skills that the singers bring back to their local context inspire other singers in the local choirs.

The choir sessions should be of a very high professional standard and promote youth choir singing as an art form. In this way, Norges Ungdomskor can inspire both the singers who participate and those who take part in the choir’s performances at concerts and festivals.

Norges Ungdomskor has won a number of prizes in international choir competitions, and in 2020 Norges Ungdomskor was one of 24 choirs from around the world invited to participate in the World Symposium of Choral Music in New Zealand.

Norges Ungdomskor is conducted by Julia Selina Blank.

Sveriges Ungdomskör

The Swedish national youth Choir  Sveriges Ungdomskör (SVUK) is an national cutting edge education programme and a musical meeting place for young, ambitious choir singers from all over Sweden. The choir consists of 32 young people between the ages of 16 and 25, all of whom have broad experience of and a great interest in choral singing. SVUK places great emphasis on Swedish and Nordic vocal music from different eras and genres. New compositions is important to the choir, and they endeavour to commission and perform choral works by young, still unestablished artists, as well as well-known composers. The choir is managed in project format under the auspices of UNGiKÖR (the Swedish children’s and youth choir association) and engages its conductors in 3-year project contracts.

Sveriges Ungdomskör is conducted by Florian Benfer.

Finlands Ungdomskör / Suomen Nuoriskuoro (FUNK)

The Finnish youth choir FUNK was founded in 2019 and consists of singers aged 16-29 from different parts of Finland. The aim of the choir is to create high-quality vocal music and offer a musical foundation and springboard for young people who want to develop into versatile singers and musicians.  Several of the singers have a background from music community colleges and many have also chosen to study and work in the arts and music sectors.

Since its inception, the choir’s repertoire has mainly consisted of Finnish, Nordic and Baltic music, but also of works with orchestral accompaniment.  The choir actively commissions new music, including Säde Bartling’s works Minä yksin ja meri and Triumf att finnas till.  These works, premiered in summer 2021 and recorded in spring 2022, were inspired by the texts and poems of the choral singers.  The singers’ own artistry is highly valued in the choir, which has led to increased creativity among the young people. Several singers arrange and compose their own music, which is also practised by the choir and performed in concerts.

FUNK is administered by DUNK – the music association for young people in Swedish-speaking Finland.  FUNK is conducted by Elisa Huovinen.

Rytmisk Ungdomskor

Rytmisk Ungdomskor is a Norwegian national project choir for ambitious singers aged 17-26 who want to immerse themselves in and explore the rhythmic choral tradition. The music is based on and draws inspiration from the many different rhythmic genres.

The working method is largely based on interaction, listening, improvisation and physical anchoring such as groove and rhythm. The choir was founded in 2019 and as the artistic director is chosen for project periods of 1-3 years, the repertoire list and focus varies according to the artistic director’s vision. Artistic Director for 2025 is Anthony Trecek-King from the USA. Previous artistic directors have been Elisabeth Anvik, Benedikte Kruse and Anja Skybakmoen. Rytmisk Ungdomskor is run by Ung i Kor.

Syng Selected

Syng Selected is a rhythmic a cappella choir consisting of 32 of Denmark’s most talented young choir singers aged 18-30. The choir was formed in 2014 and has quickly gained a good reputation within rhythmic choral music culture. Syng Selected meets 4-5 times a year to rehearse and prepare for concerts. Members then spend a whole weekend together, taking part in a packed programme of rehearsals of new and old repertoire, exploring vocal technique, performance and artistic work on the songs, and not least, taking time to cultivate community in the choir.

The choir weekends are spent at one of Denmark’s beautiful boarding schools or community colleges, and the weekend often ends with a concert at the school in question as a thank you for the accommodation. Syng Selected also takes the opportunity to talk to the pupils about singing in a choir and all the cool things that this entails. It is part of the choir’s vision to spread choral singing among young people.

Syng Selected is conducted by Line Groth Friis.

About Ung i kor

Ung i Kor is a nationwide, independent and democratic organisation for children’s and youth choirs in Norway. Ung i Kor aims to strengthen the spread and quality of children’s and youth choir singing in Norway by promoting musical development, providing help and support to members, and providing training in democratic work. Ung i Kors’ vision is that ’Young voices should be heard!’ and the organisation has a strong focus on skills development for participants, members, instructors and conductors.

Ung i Kor is very happy about this collaboration between the national children’s and youth choir organisations Ung i Kor, UNGiKÖR, DUNK, Syng! and Norbusang and hope that it can be the start of a long-lasting co-operation for young choir singers at a high level in the Nordic countries!

Read more about Ung i Kor on their website www.ungikor.no

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Tobias Hume was a Scottish soldier and sea captain who ended up in Sweden at the end of the 16th century. He was also a musician and composer who constantly carried his beloved instrument – a viola da gamba – with him on his travels through Europe.

Andreas T Olsson has written a poetic fantasy about the sea, music, and the longing for adventure, portraying Tobias Hume. Cellist and viola da gamba player Mime Brinkmann has selected musical gems from the 17th century. The performance will be staged May 18-31, 2026, in the Déjeunersalongen and lasts approximately 45 minutes.

À la Baroque – productions for children supported by Signatur

The World Heritage-listed theatre wants to share culture with children through an inclusive cutting-edge project and a performance created from the children’s perspective. Before the performance, the children will enter the unique theatre salon as an introduction to the magical world of fairy tales. They are then introduced to music and dance they never knew existed.

This is the fourth children’s production that Drottningholm Palace Theatre has created with support from Signatur – Hum, hum Hume was performed in 2023, Hjärtat stormar så vilt (The Heart Beats Wildly) in 2024, Drömtapet – en slottssaga (Dream Wallpaper – A Palace Saga) in 2025, and now in May 2026, Hum, hum Hume returns in a new production.

The original title of the Signatur Project, À la Baroque, is a collective name for the children’s productions at Drottningholm Palace Theatre.

Project activities and expectations

Drottningholm Palace Theatre caters to schools throughout the Stockholm area. The theatre has a friend school, Fryshuset Grundskola Akalla, which will provide a test audience. Connecting with teachers and schools is important to reach children who do not have relatives to take them to cultural events. The theatre produces a teacher’s guide to help the children prepare and to encourage continued work after the performance, and a playlist encourages further listening.

The theatre strives to maintain the highest artistic standards in its productions. Artists and musicians are at the absolute top level, there is great knowledge of theatre and costume history and high standards in all the work surrounding a production.

The expected result is that the children take possession of the theatre building and feel welcome, that the music, song, dance and magic belong to them. And that the imagination and music continue to entice them in their future lives.

ABOUT THE FOUNDATION DROTTNINGHOLMS SLOTTSTEATER

Drottningholm Palace Theatre is a unique theatre building from 1766 and part of the Drottningholm World Heritage Site. The building was commissioned by Queen Lovisa Ulrika and was used extensively by the King Gustav III. It is the only venue in the world with an 18^th century theatre stage still using its original wooden stage machinery operated by hand.

The theatre welcomes visitors from all over the world, and during the summer months the building is busy with opera performances, concerts, children’s activities, guided tours and exhibitions. Drottningholms Slottsteater receives an annual operating grant from the Swedish Ministry of Culture, which partly covers the costs of carrying out one yearly opera production and the theatre’s exhibition work. To make this World Heritage accessible to wider audiences, the theatre’s ambition is to also offer performances aimed at young audiences. This requires support from external funders, such as Signatur Foundation Sweden.

Read more about Drottningholms Slottsteater on the website www.dtm.se.

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With the project The Healing Music, Ersta diakoni integrates live music into health and care environments.  By offering high-quality musical experiences to patients, relatives and staff, the project aims to improve the quality of life and create a warmer and more humane atmosphere.  Ersta Diakoni also hopes to inspire other organisations to make culture a natural part of care.

About Ersta kulturscen and Ersta diakoni

Ersta Kulturscen is part of Ersta diakonisällskap, a non-profit organisation that conducts healthcare, social work, education and research – professionally and without profit.  The organisation is based on Christian principles and Ersta Diakoni is there for people in vulnerable life situations.  Ersta kulturscen works to strengthen the positive health effects of culture in the organisation’s health and care activities, and aims to be a central place for cultural experiences in Stockholm.

Read more at the website: https://www.erstadiakoni.se/

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Strength in difference and diversity

Kulturbron aimed to promote inclusion and integration and give everyone the same opportunity to participate in cultural activities. Järvaveckan highlights current societal challenges and works to promote inclusion and integration in a society where differences and diversity are recognised as strengths. The Source’s participation in Kulturbron provided the organisation with an opportunity to reach out and make impact.

Through Järvaveckan’s Kulturbron, The Source wanted to inspire young people to appreciate and engage in different art forms, promote cultural diversity and contribute to social change.

Järvaveckan attracted over 40 000 visitors in 2025, many of whom were expected to actively participate in Järvaveckan’s Kulturbron. The Source expected around a thousand young people to visit the project’s tent, and several hundred young visitors to be inspired by different cultural expressions and participate in project activities.

Engaging Activity Programmes

By offering the opportunity to explore new skills, The Source aims to shape a creative and conscious generation. The activities offered at Järvaveckan were designed to inspire and engage. Traditional cultural expressions were combined with modern trends to create an attractive platform for self-expression and community.

Participants  had the opportunity to take part in interactive workshops in music, dance, theatre and art. Under the guidance of experienced instructors and creative role models, they could try out new techniques, express emotions and create their own works of art. Through topical expressions and popular and inspiring role models the project reached specific groups and created a motivating atmosphere for young people.

• On a stage for young talents, participants performed and showcased their skills, giving them a chance to be recognised and receive feedback from both the audience and experienced performers.
• Panel discussions and lectures allowed participants to ask questions and share their experiences in a context that stimulated discussions on the importance of culture, inclusion, identity and creativity.
• Innovative technological initiatives such as virtual reality and interactive installations were integrated to create modern and engaging experiences that capture the interest of young people.
• At Stora Kulturscenen (“The Major Culture Stage”) there were performances by artists, dance and theatre groups representing a diversity of cultural expressions.

Activities also included a fashion show, graffiti wall, henna painting, face painting, open mics, talent contest and a big closing party with several DJs and a silent disco.

The Source believes in the power of collaboration and that different perspectives lead to a richer end result. A variety of cultural actors were invited to contribute to the programme.

The target groups included children and young people, families in the Järva area, cultural actors and decision-makers. Through targeted initiatives, the project expects to have contributed to increased participation, cultural diversity, talent development and strengthening young people’s self-esteem. The Source wishes to create long-term collaborations and strives to continue to engage participants after the duration of Järvaveckan.

Follow The Source @ Instagram: @thesource4you

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ROLE MODELS FOR REGENERATION

The foundation of Swedish musical life is found in the local ecosystem.  Around the country there are music schools (”kulturskolor”), study associations and representatives from civil society and commercial actors who in various ways provide space for music to grow.

At a time when music-making is constantly evolving and being challenged, UTOM sees a growing need for strong musical role models who can inspire the next generation of musicians and music lovers.  This rich musical life is a national asset that needs to be nurtured and developed.

BACK TO THE ROOTS

In 2025, UTOM members will undertake a series of ‘return to your roots’ trips to help revitalise local musical life in their home town or another place of great importance to them. The activities vary greatly and can involve, for example, an inspiration day for teachers in a music school, a workshop with a local organising association or conducting a local orchestra.  Through these encounters, the project aims to develop both participants and organisers, and create important role models for future cultural life.

‘Musical role models’ aims to inspire and highlight the grassroots of the music scene by building bridges between established musicians and local music players. The inspiring meetings create new networks and collaborations that provide the conditions for long-term growth in the Swedish music scene.  With this initiative, UTOM wants to nourish the invaluable grassroots throughout music Sweden.

ABOUT UTOM

The think tank Unga tankar om musik (UTOM- ”Young minds for music”) is an independent network that will capitalise on the wealth of ideas, potential and voice of young people working in professional music.  In UTOM, music personalities from all genres will meet, develop, network and work together for the future of inclusive, challenging, tolerant and bold cultural life.  UTOM has its organisational home at the Swedish Royal Academy of Music.

Read more on UTOM’s website: https://www.ungatankarommusik.se/

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As an integral part of the fesitival, advanced international masterclasses are offered in co-operation with Framnäs Folkhögskola.  The courses attract young music students from all over the world and the course participants and teachers make up a large part of the festival’s concert programme.

Thanks to the support of Signatur Foundation Sweden, in 2025, Festspelen was able to organise three masterclasses: a brass course with Stockholm Chamber Brass, a clarinet course with Martin Fröst and Hermann Stefansson, and a vocal course with Miah Persson and Magnus Svensson. More information about the courses is available on page 17 in this publication from the festival (in Swedish).

About the foundation

 The purpose of the foundation Festspelen i Piteå is to organise the music festival ”Festspelen i Piteå”. The emphasis should, according to the organisation’s mission statement, be on classical music and masterclasses. The principals of the foundation are Framnäs Folkhögskola, Luleå University of Technology/School of Music in Piteå, Nolia AB, Norr Media, the association Folkets Hus and Piteå Municipality.

For more on Festspelen, visit the organisation’s own channels:

Website: www.festspelen.se

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/festspelen/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/festspelen/

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