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About us

The world to Oslo and Oslo to the world.

Oslo World is one of Europe’s leading venue festivals, presenting a global outlook on today’s music scene, with a special focus on music from Africa, Latin-America, Asia and the Middle East. In 2024, the festival will run from October 28 - November 3. The task of the festival has remained unchanged since 1994: To bring the world to Oslo and Oslo to the world.

Throughout the years, the festival has grown. The musical booking has become more diverse, and the non-musical events, both in terms of the ambitious seminar program and other artistic expressions, are a more integrated part of the festival. The festival tries to exist in the intersection between artistic expression and political debates. The theme we choose each year serves as a guiding principle for both the musical and non-musical booking. In addition to activists and political voices, we have invited designers, artists, architects, dancers and actors to Oslo during the festival week.

Utopier Afrika Oslo World2019 Lars Opstad 001
Beyond Music - seminar program

Oslo World has also grown beyond its own borders. In addition to the annual festival, the Oslo World foundation is responsible for a number of events throughout the year. “Our neighborhood” is arranged in asylum centers across the country – here refugees and local communities meet and share music, culture and food. Since 2013, the festival has also been involved in organizing the festival Beirut & Beyond in Lebanon. Oslo World is responsible for Children’s Art Exploration Day, which is arranged in multiple municipalities in Norway, as well as events, seminars and concerts throughout the year.

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Beirut & Beyond

BACKGROUND

In autumn 2011, the Oslo World Music Festival Foundation was established as an independent foundation after 18 years as a part of Concerts Norway. The purpose of the festival was to run an annual music festival with high artistic quality and a sociopolitical context. Our ambition is to reach out to a broad, music-loving and curious audience.

Today, the festival is one of the foremost of its kind – not only in Norway, but also in a wider context. Oslo has grown into becoming one of Europe’s most vibrant concert cities – and Oslo World is, and will continue to be, essential to that development.

When?

Week 44 every year. In 2023 the festival takes place between October 28 - November 3.

Board

Cecilie Hellestveit
Anne Moberg
Wilfred Vuillaume
Thomas Prestø
Rob Waring
Nora Paynter Gundersen
Emnet Kebreab

Read the annual report from 2023 here!