The good life in the good city
Aarhus Festival aims to create community and well-being for citizens through events that inspire, activate and integrate across people and groups.
Culture and the wild issues
We bridge the gap between culture and health, strengthen education and democracy and bring important agendas into play. Together, we develop the city's cultural capital and create space for everyone.
We draw inspiration from the wild problems formulated by Aarhus Municipality and want to create a festival that not only entertains, but also opens up for discussions and actions that can contribute to solutions to these challenges. Common to our focus areas is to contribute to the good life in the good city.
At Aarhus Festival, we strive to promote sustainability both in our choice of artistic projects and in our organisational practices. Through our activities, we highlight the many aspects of sustainability - from environmentally conscious art production to promoting greener transport options and reducing the festival's carbon footprint.
Community is at the heart of everything we do. How can we build a society where everyone feels included and seen? Aarhus Festival focuses on creating a community where people with different backgrounds, life experiences and perspectives meet, collaborate and learn from each other. Through art and culture, we create spaces for dialogue and understanding, where boundaries are broken and relationships are formed. We actively engage both local and international voices, both professional and amateur, in a community that embraces diversity and strengthens cohesion. For us, community is not just a value, but the very foundation of our vision for Aarhus Festival.
Inequality - both economic and social - is one of the biggest challenges in society. Aarhus Festival wants to contribute to breaking down barriers and creating equal opportunities for all. Through the Festival, we celebrate artistic expressions that address social issues and inequality, and we create initiatives that give young people and marginalised groups a platform to express themselves. We actively work to ensure that everyone has access to culture, regardless of background or economic circumstances.
Aarhus is a vibrant city, but how can we use its spaces in new and creative ways? Aarhus Festival is committed to using public spaces and the city's many meeting places to create artistic experiences that bring people together and provide new insights. Through art installations, performances, workshops and other activities, we want to activate the city's spaces and turn them into a vibrant learning and experiential universe. This is not just about filling the city with art, but about creating a sense of ownership and community in the city's vibrant life.
Aarhus Festival is a festival for everyone - young, old and everyone in between. How can we create a space where different generations meet and learn from each other? We want to promote intergenerational collaboration through our curation, where both young talents and experienced artists work side by side. This is the focal point of our main theme, 'Mind the Gap'.
In 2025, when we celebrate our 60th anniversary, we will further emphasise the connection between generations with the sub-theme 'Aarhus Festival Week - no age'. The theme emphasises the importance of the time we can share, rather than being separated.
