Tou Scene or a cave of culture in south western Norway

Picture from www​.tous​cene​.com

Dealing with summer’s cul­tural doc­u­ment­a­tion in my mind, I found myself will­ing to share some bites of it with you. This time – a fairly large por­tion from Norway, Stavanger. Stavanger, as it is known, was European Capital of Culture in 2008. Also, it is the fifth city with biggest pop­u­la­tion in Norway. But for now let’s focus on some­thing else.

Briefly about his­tory. However, “Tou Scene” is not a real cave, things are a little bit bet­ter – it is a former brew­ery, its build­ings trace back to the first half of XXth cen­tury. After mov­ing the brew­ery to other premises, the build­ing com­plex had been in a state of wait­ing for quite a long time, until “Tou Scene” appeared in 2001. It did not appear without a pur­pose, its aim is to spread and develop con­tem­por­ary art assist the cre­at­ors and sup­ply an intriguing shel­ter for culture-​thirsty vis­it­ors. In addi­tion, it belongs to Trans Europe Halles asso­ci­ation, which unites inde­pend­ent cul­tural centres in Europe.

The object dis­cussed in this art­icle would have remained unknown to me, if not one altern­at­ive play for chil­dren, which was intens­ively talked about. Yes, exactly – this venue is not restric­ted for adults‘ interest, some pro­cesses gladly invite chil­dren. What else? Art exhib­i­tions, vari­ous style con­certs (from elec­tron­ics to black metal), per­form­ances, cinema, etc. Also, pro­ject “The Art of Hospitality” – artists from all over the world are given a chance to live and cre­ate for free in “Tuo Scene“ premises for two weeks.

In addi­tion to all pos­it­ive activ­it­ies and pro­jects, after tak­ing the first step inside the main build­ing, one is amazed by ori­ginal, indus­trial design. No glit­ter­ing – walls are covered in metal rust, an idle TV in a corner, shabby sofa and a sign “This is cul­ture” above it. One enters a labyrinth, covered with sten­cil art, broken mir­rors in toi­lets and other draw­ings. Further – two main scenes for events, “Tou Window” room with Marit Victoria Wulff Andreassen‘s draw­ing “Hide and Seek”, vis­ible even from the out­side, small musical records‘ shop and, of course, “Tou Scene” café, which has its ceil­ing covered with thread balls. The out­door ter­race with a view to fjord and moun­tains speaks for itself.

I would like to come back there, at least for a cup of cof­fee. Visitors are always wel­come. For ones, who will soon be there, or nearby – this is a must.

About author:

Kristina Alijošiūtė
Kristina Alijošiūtė is Art Pit’s editor and blogger, also contributing in design solutions. She mostly focuses on quality and freshness of topics, but also values motivated irony and ability to stand out. Writing was always more a pleasure than an obligation to her. She also respects those who are not afraid to write subjectively. Kristina ... Read further >