Helsingør | September 3–7, 2023
Hosted by Helsingør Teater
The main activity sector chosen is linked to the sea and several trades representing this sector: fisherman, the marine, the harbour, activities linked to the boats, to the property of the sea and the protection of biodiversity. The sea surrounding Helsingør has in the last 20 years become one of Europe’s cleanest waters. Long polluted after the closure of the Helsingør shipyard in 1981, the sea (Øresund) has undergone significant ecological recovery. Thanks to strong environmental protections and reduced fishing pressure, Atlantic bluefin tuna—absent for over 50 years—have returned to these waters since 2017, signalling a remarkable resurgence in marine biodiversity.
The scientific theme explored is the sea as a public space and medium for understanding in collaboration with Øresundsakvariet- Maritime research institute.
Across three thematic focuses — The Sound around Helsingør, Boatbuilding from education to industry, and Boatbuilders by heart — the programme explored how maritime activities and their embodied knowledge can nourish artistic practice and reframe the role of circus in public space.
Over four days, the artists explored the maritime ecosystem of Helsingør through encounters at the Øresund Aquarium with marine researchers, onboard the fishing vessel Regina H4, at the U/NORD boatbuilding school, with a fisherman affiliated to Knud E. Hansen, and at the heritage site of Maritime Workshop Hall 16. These visits offered multiple entry points into the world of coastal labour and craftsmanship — from scientific observation to embodied skills and intergenerational transmission. Through these diverse perspectives, artists reflected on reflections on sustainable practices, embodied knowledge, the intersections between ecology, environmental change, the future of maritime trades, and the world of work, memory and transmission.
Guided by Cille Lansade, artistic mentor and Magali Sizorn, mentor and sociologist, the group engaged in field observation, movement research in public space, and sensory exercises — initiating a creative process rooted in context and cross-sectoral exchange.