Schous Cultural Brewery in Oslo

Name of the project:
Schous Cultural Brewery in Oslo.

Goals (e.g. policy, research or other):
Buildings designated for CI activities function as a material symbol that embody the appreciation and importance of their activities. Sharing a space with other individuals and companies within the CI is also important for forming new relationships, thereby stimulating the establishment of new networks and developing existing ones. The aim of the Scous Cultural Brewery has been to create a space for different music activities in Oslo.

Schous Cultural Brewery will host four exciting projects:

• Øvingshotellet – ’rehearsal hotel’ for musicians (amateurs and professionals, all kinds of music, no age limits) with 50 rehearsal and pre-production rooms. The musicians pay for the time they use the rooms.
• Popsenteret – the Centre for Pop Music will focus on the past, present and future of Norwegian pop music. The public will be able to play and learn through interactive, digital experiences.
• Riksscenen is an independent foundation financed by the state. It is a meeting place for the different actors of the very varied folk music and dance scene in Norway located in premises especially adapted to the needs of these cultural expressions.
• Schous kulturstasjon is part of Oslo Music and Cultural School, the aim of which is to offer children and young people high quality education within theatre, dance and the visual arts.

Start of the project (if applicable end of the project):
The initiators of this large project were creative individuals. The idea was first communicated to a private property developer and supported by Oslo Musikkråd (Oslo Music Council, an independent association of different music organizations in Oslo) and Norsk Kulturråd (Arts Council Norway).

The initiative then received support from the Municipality of Oslo. The current partners are KLP (private property developer) and the Municipality of Oslo. The idea was launched in 2003 and the contract between the property developer and the municipality was signed at the end of 2006. The rehearsal hotel opened its doors in 2009.

The initiators stress the importance of private-public partnership. Without the participation of the municipality, the project would probably not have been implemented.

Place of excecution:
Olso in Norway.

Why is your project considered as a best-practice:
So far the main achievements have been the implementation of this ambitious project, as well as the successful cooperation between the property developer and the municipality.

The project has only just started, but the critical factors for success are estimated to be:

• The right creative individuals that see the opportunities and have the energy to work towards the realisation of an idea (in this case it took 3 years);
• Open-minded private property developers, who are willing to work together with public authorities on a long-term project without immediate profit and vice versa;
• Public authorities with financial means, and the willingness to invest. The co-financing by the city administration has been vital in realizing the project. Arts Council Norway provided the means for a pre-project;
• The appropriate and available space that is suitable for the particular activities.

Tips and tricks for those who want to follow your lead?
This model can easily be transferred to other cities. Challenges could be related to private-public partnership, financial resources for investments by the public sector. Public backing is essential because the project will not pay off during the initial phase.

Best response to the project:
Knut Halvorsen, Managing Director of Oslo Teknopol:

Music in all its sounds represents the strongest cultural drive for the Norwegian capital; the enormous interest in music has lifted Oslo to the status of Music Capital of Scandinavia. Schous Cultural Brewery in Oslo is a manifestation of the acknowledgement and support from the City of Oslo for the music loving people of the Oslo region and Norway. Between the new opera house in Bjørvika on the sea front and the Schous quarter with its rich offer of studios, rehearsal facilities, stages, technical service providers and a modern interactive museum, connected by the Akerselva River – the historical urban core of the city – one has captured the broad spectrum of sounds in Oslo and at the same time defined an urban renewal strategy, which is in tune with the spirit of Oslo.

Links to websites and/or social media:
www.schouskulturbryggeri.no (only in Norwegian)

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