When art meets knowledge – a conversation about culture's place in academia
How can art and culture enrich academia – and what does the collaboration look like in practice? This was discussed during the seminar "The meeting with academia and performing arts" at the Performing Arts Biennial in Östersund.
Around 30 spectators attended the seminar where Vice-Chancellor Anders Fällström, researcher in biology Jennie Sandström and artist Tove Berglund talked about art and academia under the leadership of performing arts producer Sara De Vylder. Mid Sweden University has worked for several years to connect academic education and students with art and culture.
Why?
"Many programmes in Sweden have become a bit square and boxed, the students may not really encounter what feels real. More is needed than physics, chemistry, biology and so on, the students who are going into working life also need to understand other people and see other cultures. We need to get something in that feels more, chafes a little," Anders Fällström explained.
Research meets performing arts in The Stories of the Forest
Jennie Sandström, researcher in biology, talked about her collaboration with the artist Tove Berglund, where the academy meets art through the interactive work "The Stories of the Forest". She also talked about Mid Sweden University's collaboration with Scenkonst Västernorrland, where civil engineers have been able to experience different forms of performing arts through the Science & Scenes project for a few years now. Jennie Sandström also talked about the benefit of students experiencing things that chafe.
"I took my engineering students to a modern dance show and it was really chafing, for all of us. But what we talked about it afterwards, what conversations it led to.
"I have applied to art and culture because we need to reach out with our research and knowledge in several ways, and art is a complement to the 'ordinary' research communication.
Vice-Chancellor's call: Dare to try
Anders Fällström in particular was met with questions from the audience after the seminar. One wanted to know how the university finances the various cultural elements offered to students, while another wanted to know what tips and advice he has for other vice-chancellors who might want to take after Mid Sweden University.
"What is important and good is to dare. The dream is that it should be completely natural for art and culture to be part of the education at all universities in Sweden, and we believe that culture and science belong together. So dare to try, Anders Fällström urged.
The Performing Arts Biennial 2025 takes place in Östersund on 3–8 June and is Sweden's largest festival for performing arts. The festival is organized by Scensverige in collaboration with Estrad Norr, with support from, among others, Östersund municipality and Region Jämtland Härjedalen. Mid Sweden University participates in several program items.
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