Art & Culture

Art & Culture

What qualifies to be defined as culture, and what does not? The discussion is ongoing and sometimes vivid. In Blekinge, the cultural scene is both vibrant and quiet, innovative, but also traditional; having the Naval City of Karlskrona on the UNESCO World Heritage List somehow makes that a given. In Blekinge, you’ll find culture in the shape of arts and crafts, dance, theatre, literature, history, film, and art in all its forms. And probably much more than that. Free for everyone to experience, but not always easily digestible or simple. Because it’s culture’s job to itch and beautify, amuse and worry. Enrich life and awaken new thoughts, show different perspectives. In short, it should move us. As the cultural scene in Blekinge does.

konst

 

Art

Blekinge is peppered with art. Public art in parks, and urban environments, indoors and on the outside of buildings. It´s abstract and modern, there are paintings and prints, glass, stone, textile, and installations. It´s low-key and loud. You´ll find it in the art galleries around the county and in the artists' homes as they open their studios for a few days of art tour – or for a whole season like Susanne Demåne – don't miss out on her magic world!

Konst i Blekinge (Art in Blekinge)
Region Blekinge and Kulturcentrum//Ronneby konsthall collaborate to create a long-term strategy and action plan for the development of the art area in Blekinge. If you want to keep up (... and understand Swedish) listen to Konst i Blekinge's pod with episodes on different themes.

Kulturcentrum/Ronneby konsthall
One of Sweden's largest arenas for contemporary art. Every year, 10–15 exhibitions are held here with regional, national, and international contemporary art, design, and crafts.

Konstrundan (The Art Tour)
During the Art Tour in Blekinge, the members open their studios. The exhibitors are scattered throughout Blekinge and show everything from iron work to painting and textile art. This weekend in May has become an established and popular art event with several thousand visitors.

Martinssonska gården
The Martinssonska gården Art Museum is located in the old wooden house district in Karlshamn. Here, modern art is shown in a historical environment; initiator Johnny Martinsson's sculptures as well as paintings and printmaking pieces by Oskar Wickström, Thure Wahlström och Per Serre.

PLX
PLX is an independent group that has produced cultural events around Sweden for 15 years with a focus on Skåne and Blekinge. In addition to art exhibitions and performative sets, PLX arranges the Tjärö festival in the Blekinge archipelago.

 

Scroll through the selection of galleries, exhibitions, and all the different possibilities to experience art in Blekinge.

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Scenkonst

 

Performing arts

 

Dance

Dance allows us to communicate beyond words ... be touched in depth. It's an awesome feeling! And you don't need to travel to either New York, Sydney, or Paris to experience world-class dancing. Just go to Lokstallarna in Karlshamn, the regional theater´s dance scene in Blekinge.

Brådjupa Dansfestival
Blekinge's dance festival Brådjupa is a yearly event, which is a collaboration between Dans i Blekinge and Region Teatern. During 5 days, there are dancing and dancers all over the place in Lokstallarna in Karlshamn. The program includes workshops, artist talks, dance classes, and of course, performances and guest appearances.

 

Theater

Treat yourself to a theater experience when you get the chance. There´s something quite special about the directness of it; sharing the actor's interpretation of the story. You feel it, no matter if it´s a play that makes you laugh, get mad, or sad. In the summer season, there are several opportunities to watch outdoor theater in Blekinge.

Regionteatern Blekinge & Kronoberg
Kronoberg county and Blekinge county run the regional theatre activities together. They were merged to gain more power and are today a cultural hub in southern Sweden, with a special focus on performing arts for children and young people.

Teatersmedjan
This theater association has produced hundreds of performances over the past 30 years and their summer theater on the island of Kastellet in Karlshamn's inlet is a popular tradition. The Teatersmedjan also arranges theater courses and workshops for both children and adults.

Ronneby Folkteater
The focus point of Folkteatern in Ronneby is the joy of performing – and getting people to laugh. The theater is one of the few Art Nouveau theaters that still remains in Sweden, inaugurated in 1911, but the shows also go on tour and are played on small and large stages around the region.

Sandelius Kultur & Nöje
Elin & Mats Sandelius aim to create theatre experiences for all ages where adults and children should have as much retention of the show. Since 2007, they have put on many of Astrid Lindgren's stories at Skottsbergska gården in Karlshamn during summer.

 

Curious? Scroll through the upcoming theatre shows and dance performances. Book your tickets!

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musik

 

Music & festivals

 

Music

Blekinge has bred plenty of talented and successful musicians and artists. Some are still living here, others moved away, these icons for example Johan Shellback Schuster – music producer legend de luxe, Jenny Wilson – the Swedish queen of pop with substance, and Jan Lundgren – ingenious jazz pianist that has composed a piece of music called "Blekinge".

There are many music scenes in Blekinge. Some are small, intimate indoor scenes and clubs, others are huge scenes for outdoor festivals, arenas, and concert halls. And then there’s the cozy-in-the-middle-of-nature category. Music is best live – that applies in Blekinge as well.

Musik i Blekinge
Blekinge County’s Music Organization is on a mission to create a music life based on breadth, diversity and quality.

Marinens musikkår
The Royal Swedish Navy Band, which dates back to the 1680s, has its base in the World Heritage City of Karlskrona. Each year, they make around 150 performances at official state visits, royal audiences, changing of the royal guards and concerts, etc. The band is reputable and recognized, in fact they are one of the leading ensembles of their kind in the world.

 

Festivals

In Blekinge, summer is festival season. From world-renowned metal at Sweden Rock Festival in early June to a number of city festivals with big scenes and guest artists, song festivals, One Weekend Only for lovers of pop and dance music, to the Tradjazz festival in Hällevik which attracts “jazzers” from near and far.

 

Take a look at all upcoming concerts and musical evente here.

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litteratur

 

Litterature & Film

 

Litterature

There are, no doubt, many literary connections to Blekinge. Nobel Prize winner Harry Martinson was from here, as was Sven Edvin Salje. And, you know that Karlshamn’sport was the one where Karl-Oskar & Kristina got on the boat to America in Vilhelm Moberg's The Emigrants. Contemporary writers such as Johanna Limme, Stefan Malmström, Patric Eghammer, Patrik Lundberg and Katarina Mazetti (who summers here) often have Blekinge references in their books in different genres.

Författarbygden
In Olofström you can experience the cultural environments where Martinson and Salje lived and worked. Today, writers and other artists can apply for residence scholarships here. And everyone is welcome to visit the area to follow in the authors' footsteps.

Bok & Hav
Karlskrona's literature festival Bok & Hav (Book & Sea) is a feast for all book enthusiasts. It offers a mix of mingling with authors, moderated conversations and discussions, tips, and guided tours in the tracks of literature. Takes place in May.

Ellens Bokcafé
A café is an excellent place to sit and enjoy a good read. In Ronneby you’ll find Blekinge's only book café, where you can buy coffee, books – both new and pre-read ones, meet authors, and go to book releases.

 

Film

The Film Jordgubbslandet (Strawberry Days) from 2017 is filmed in Listerlandet, Sölvesborg and so far one of the few feature films set in Blekinge. But there are quite a few people working to change that. The movie theatres in Blekinge are great and have truly committed owners who provide cinemas with modern technology, comfortable chairs, and charming environments.

Filmnod Blekinge
The project Filmnod Blekinge aims to strengthen the film industry in Blekinge. Cultural and creative industries contribute to a location's attractiveness, which is also important for the growth and establishment of companies in completely different industries. The project collaborates with the Blekinge University of Technology to establish a completely unique VP studio for digital and Virtual Reality production.

Carl Film Forum 
Carl Film Forum is part of Filmnod Blekinge and an event organized in collaboration with Film i Skåne and Filmregion Sydost. Film node Blekinge works to promote the film industry and establish Karlskrona and Blekinge as a node in film and moving images from a regional, national and international perspective..

 

Up for a night at the movies? These movies are currently playing in Blekinge.

 

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museum

 

Museums

There is a wide range of museums in Blekinge. One of the most popular and well-known is the naval museum Marinmuseum in Karlskrona – a must-see, but perhaps you are also curious about the hidden gems that are completely unique and have slightly odd collections? Discover ABU's museum in Svängsta, the Coat hanger museum in Olofström, the Punsch-liquor museum, and the Porcelain museum, for example. Museums are so much more than places to collect old things and tell tales of the past. Several of Blekinge's museums are very vivid and “here and now”, offering children's activities, workshops, lectures, and guided tours.

 

Marinmuseum
The magnificent Marinmuseum host all things naval, and is one of Blekinge's major visitor attractions. Here you will find everything worth knowing about marine life and the world heritage, a unique submarine hall, as well as a range of fun facts and activities for curious people of all ages.

Karlshamns Museum
Karlshamn's museum is situated in the historic district of the town where you also find the Punsch Museum, the Art hall and one of the country's best-preserved merchant houses with stalls and everything, Skottsbergska gården. A lovely mix of Ttobacco, booze, punsch, and everyday life – exciting!

Blekinge Museum
Our county museum is housed in a number of buildings in Karlskrona. During 2022, parts of the premises are being renovated and some of the exhibitions and children's activities are not available. In the grand building Grevagården you can see an exhibition called World Heritage, the Naval city of Karlskrona.

Kallvattenkuren
In Kallvattenkuren in Ronneby Brunnspark, there is an exhibition with the Danish king's flagship Gribshunden and the Treasures in Vång as central stories. Hopefully, this exhibition will serve as a basis for a new, permanent museum in Ronneby.

Karlskrona porlinsmuseum
The old porcelain factory's coal cellar is now a museum with around 1,000 items from the factory's entire production from 1918 to 1968. Explore the signs of time and the development from gold-rim coffee cups to the playful design of the 1950s and 1960s. Under the same roof, you also find the Car Museum run by the publisher Albinsson & Sjöberg, displaying lots of classic and modified project cars.

Sölvesborgs museum
Sölvesborg's museum is located in a 150-year-old grain and brandy warehouse. Lister's ancient history is presented here with several archaeological finds, but you will also learn about life in the town center, the port/shipping, and the home environment of different social class groups. Open in summer.

 

 

Here you go – the complete list of the museums in Blekinge and their opening hours.

 

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More to read on Blekinge’s history and cultural heritage

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