Cultural Calendar: April 2023

With the days getting longer as we emerge from winter, you’re likely to want to spend more time out and about this month! Check out what’s going on in Oslo for you this April!

Delve into spring holiday traditions!

Påskekrim!

Here in Norway, the arrival of April means that many Norwegians are anticipating Easter and the tradition of reading or watching Påskekrim (Easter-time crime fiction) during the holiday break. Deichman Library Bjørvika is not only a good place to check out crime novels, but will also be screening free Easter-themed films every Tuesday from 17:00-19:30.

When: Tuesdays in April, 17:00-19:30
Where: Deichman Library Bjørvika (third floor mini-cinema), Anne-Cath, Vestlys plass 1, 0150 Oslo

Oh, and if you’re working on your Norwegian language skills, you’ll want to follow NRK’s SuperKrim, a daily mystery series made for kids (but fun for adults, too). See if you can guess the culprit!

Break fast with new friends!

Many Norwegians around the country are currently observing Ramadan, with Eid al-Fitr celebrations coming up toward the end of the month. Take time to test out your Norwegian language skills by joining NRK in a special broadcast of Festen etter Fasten (a live celebration of Eid al-Fitr). You can also sign up with Ramadan Gjest to either host or attend an iftar meal after sundown. The goal of this social program is to break fast together and cultivate dialogue between different cultures, ways of life, religions, ideas, and attitudes.

When: Through the end of Ramadan this month.
Where: See links above for more details.

Enjoy a unique audience experience!

Sing-Along with the Oslo Cathedral Choir!

Join the Oslo Domkor and the Oslofjord Chamber Philharmonic, as well as soloists Lydia Hoen Tjore and Aleksander Nohr, in singing excerpts from well-known Easter works and hymns, including works by Mozart, Bach, Brahms, Handel and more. Practice your Norwegian, while you’re at it! The sheet music is available online; audience members will be seated according to vocal type (i.e., alto, soprano..). There’s no advance rehearsal; participants will just dive in and let loose for this free community singing experience! Learn more and get your ticket here.

When: Monday, 10 April, 19:00-20:15
Where: Oslo Domkirke, Stortorvet 1, 0155 Oslo

Dance Days 2023

International Dance Day is coming up on 28 April, which means a lot of motion and free dance events around town this weekend. The celebration kicks off the evening of Thursday, 27 April with a journey into jazz dance (free discussion and film screening at Studioscenen Dansens Hus). At 12pm on Friday, 28 April, all are invited to join the opening event on the roof of Oslo’s Opera House, either as an audience member or as a participant. This year’s dance is choreographed by Caroline Hawkins Skjørshammer; learn it step-by-step here and check out the program below to see what else is happening around town.

When: Thursday, 27 April – Sunday, 30 April
Where: See program for listings.

Join the studio audience of Norske Talenter!

Starting 29 April, Norske Talenter (Norway’s Got Talent), will be holding talent auditions for one of Norway’s most popular shows on TV2. If you want to be part of the studio audience, you can snag some free tickets by emailing publikum@fremantle.com with your preferred date and number of tickets (first come, first served). Check out clips from previous seasons of the show here or read more about the event here.

When: Audition viewing dates are Saturday, 29 April, Sunday, 30 April, Wednesday, 3 May, Saturday, 6 May, and Sunday, 7 May, with two time slots to choose from (13:00-17:00, 17:00-20:00). Judge selection dates run every day from Wednesday, 14 June to Monday, 19 June (12:30-15:30).
Where: Screen Studios Nydalen, Gullhaug Torg 3, 0484 Oslo

Encounter powerful moments in recent history

Your breath, your voice at Oslo City Museum

On 5 June, 2020, approximately 15,000 protesters showed up at Eidsvoll Square in front of Stortinget to participate in a demonstration organized by Africans Rising in Solidarity and Empowerment (ARISE) and the African Student Association UiO (ASA): “We can’t breathe – Justice for George Floyd.” Hear the voices behind the demonstration and explore the conversation about anti-racism in Norway. Admission to the museum is free every Saturday and also includes exhibits on the history of Oslo, everyday life during WWII, and the cityscapes of Oslo as they’ve changed over time. Learn more here.

When: Saturdays in April, 11:00-16:00
Where: Oslo Bymuseet, Frognerveien 67, 0266 Oslo

Guided visit to the 22 July Centre

It has been almost 12 years since the terrorist attacks in Oslo and on the island of Utøya on 22 July 2011. Learn more about the stories of those we lost, and from the personal accounts of those who survived. What are the public conversations surrounding that day, and what sense can we make from the events that unfolded? Admission to the Centre is free, but you must sign up in advance to participate in this guided tour for students. Register here.

When: Thursday, 27 April, 14:45-16:00
Where: 22 July Centre, Teatergata 10, 0180 Oslo

Explore Oslo’s Art World

Guided tour of the National Museum

Check out the latest exhibits at the National Museum, including the vivid prints in Caroll Dunham’s Where am I? and Pioneering Cubism with Thorvald Hellesen. The tour lasts about an hour; after that, you’re free to explore the museum’s vast collection on your own! Admission is free of charge for students, but you’ll need to register in advance! Sign up here.

When: Thursday, 18 April, 15:15-16:30
Where: The National Museum, Brynjulf Bulls plass 3, 0250 Oslo

Oslo Open Studios

This April 22-23, 397 artists around Oslo are opening their studios to visitors interested in taking a peek into their workspaces. There are free guided tours in English (and Norwegian), exhibitions, film screenings, performances and more as part of this event. The weekend is divided into two days and geographic regions, with artists to the east of Akerselva featured on Saturday, and those to the west of the river on Sunday. Find the full program of events here, or check out the artist directory.

When: Saturday 22 April (Oslo East) and Sunday 23 April (Oslo West) 12:00-17:00
Where: Find the map of participating artists here.

May amnesia never kiss us on the mouth at the Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art

Evoking the sense of “community for a moment,” this exhibit by artists Basel Abbas and Ruanne Abou-Rahme uses sampling techniques to layer song, dance, and found video into an immersive experience described as part of the poetics of resistance. Focusing on fragmentation and the incomplete, the exhibit examines how communities in Palestine, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen have responded to oppressive political circumstances. Admission to the museum is free on the last Thursday of the month! Learn more about the exhibit here.

When: Thursday, 27 April, 12:00-19:00
Where: Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art, Strandpromenaden 2, 0252 Oslo

Get creative and make your own plans!

UiO’s Library of Things

Did you know that you can borrow things like a croquet set or table-tennis equipment for free at the University library? Need a fishing pole or a circular saw? Find out more about loaning special equipment here.

Borrow from BUA

Looking for more activity gear? BUA is a non-profit organization that allows you to rent out activity equipment for a week at a time, with registration. From skateboards and scooters to cross-country skis and metal detectors, it’s worth setting up a profile.