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Fritt Ord conducted a survey in 2020-2021 on the status of freedom of expression in Norway, "Artists consider freedom of expression". It's been a few years since then, but if possible, there has been even more hate and harassment, especially in social media.

Art should be an arena for explorations of our time; it is a place to challenge, create opportunities, give ideas and confront. Through art we encounter human diversity - and the audience the opportunity to be challenged and open up to other people's stories and perspectives. Within contemporary dance, we see that actors take up issues related to queer, minorities, politics, the body and gender, among other things.

More artists than before state that they have experienced threats and hateful messages in connection with artistic expression, and feel that the level of conflict in the public seems to restrict freedom of expression. When incitement prevents artists from expressing themselves, the incitement has become a threat to freedom of expression.

With today's climate of expression online, the road is short for the artistic expression to lead to harassment and personal attacks - in a context far removed from the artistic performance and the space of experience to which the work belongs. This is not a problem that only affects artists. Young politicians, activists, female social debaters and people from minority backgrounds also tell of similar experiences. In Europe, freedom of expression and diversity are under pressure, and we see a conservative turn to the right here in Norway as well. Fear of online threats or threats contributes to the fact that many young people today refuse to participate in the public exchange of words.

In the panel discussion, we will address issues such as:
How does this affect the artist and actor?
How does this affect our future diversity of expression?
How can art ensure autonomy and room for opportunity in a world where the exchange of words becomes harsher, and where representation and opportunities for expression are tried to be stifled?
Moderator: Maiken Garder

Panelists:
Jørgen Knudsen / Black Box theatre
Live Rosenvinge / Union of Norwegian Dance Artists
Ole Henrik Bjørkmo Lifjell / Sami musician, actor and politician
Morten Røsrud / Director Rimfrost theater "Tobias and the day it broke"