-Det begynte i 2003 med at en gruppe nyutdannede kunstnere fra Kunsthøgskolen i Bergen ønsket å etablere seg i byen og utvikle sine egne arbeidsplasser, sier Åse Løvgren, styreleder i foreningen som de ni kunstnerne er sammen om å drive.

- It all began in 2003 when a group of graduates from Bergen National Academy of the Arts wanted to establish themselves in the city and develop their own careers, says Åse Løvgren, chairman of the board for the association of the nine artists.

The name Flaggfabrikken has a simple explanation: The building is a former flag factory. This is the working place for the nine artists, as well as for the visiting artists coming from abroad with the support from the Municipality of Bergen. Until now two artists have been accepted annually, the number now increasing to three.

- The interest in coming here is enormous. We received altogether 150 applications to the previous application round. We can clearly see an increase both in the number of applicants and in their academic level. Both parties benefit from the visits as we also get good contacts to the international art scenes from our visiting artists, Løvgren says.

The concept “Flaggfabrikken Presenterer” provides a broad program with artists and their work, projects and events, forming an arena for contemporary arts. Maya Økland and Hilde Jørgensen curate the events.

Over the next years “Flaggfabrikken presenterer” will generate activities and artistic quality through a mobile arena called “Nordic Art Express”, consisting of exhibitions, events and development of professional knowledge through workshops and study tours. Exchange is the keyword, as “Nordic Art Express” literally will have a nomadic form. The events take place in several locations in the Nordic Region and in the Baltic States, but with Bergen as a main base.

Flaggfabrikken has received short term network funding and later long term network funding from the Mobility programme.

www.flaggfabrikken.net