NEWS As the Arctic is reshaped by climate change and growing geopolitical tensions, artists, researchers and policymakers will gather in Umeå for Arctic Arts Summit 2026. Under the theme “Land, Power, Art”, the summit will explore how arts and culture shape the understanding of societal change in the Arctic.
Arctic Arts Summit 2026 brings together artists, researchers and policymakers in Umeå for conversations about the role of culture in a changing Arctic.
Image Sara Stenberg, Umeå kommunFrom 16–18 June 2026, the fourth edition of Arctic Arts Summit will take place in Umeå. The summit aims to strengthen dialogue between culture, politics and society across the Circumpolar North.
The programme combines international discussions and policy issues with a broad cultural programme. Representatives from Indigenous communities, academia, politics and the arts will meet in plenarysessions, while concerts, exhibitions, literary events and film screenings take place across the city.
- Discussions about the Arctic are often framed through security, climate change and natural resources. But large parts of the Arctic are also lived-in regions with cities, infrastructure, cultural life and communities where people build their everyday lives. The Arctic is often portrayed as something remote and temporary, despite the fact that many northern communities are long-term societies shaped by the people who live there. Arctic Arts Summit also wants to highlight the people, cultures and lived experiences that shape the Arctic,” says Keith Larson at Arctic Centre at Umeå University, one of the summit’s co-organisers.
A dedicated “Off-Summit” programme will give smaller cultural actors and grassroots organisations the opportunity to connect their own activities to the international network gathered in Umeå.
Beyond the physical meeting, Arctic Arts Summit continues through a digital platform featuring conversations, essays, online events and reports on Arctic arts and cultural policy.
The deadline for registration is 15 May 2026. More information is available through Arctic Arts Summit 2026.
Arctic Arts Summit 2026 is co-hosted by Viermie K, Umeå Municipality, Region Västerbotten, the Swedish Arts Council, Umeå University and the Arctic Arts Summit Secretariat.
