Olsok Artist of the Year

We are proud to announce that BRITISH BIRD SCALE is this year's Olsok artist. At the same time, we announce that the theme for Olsok Days 2026 is SOURCE.

In a year where the theme for the Olsok Days is a SOURCE, it is a great pleasure for the Arven Museums and Stiklestad National Cultural Center to announce that Brit Fuglevaag is the Olsok Artist 2026!

The theme for the 2026 Olympic Games is SOURCE. An important reason for this is the National Jubilee 2030, where the theme of the anniversary relay in 2026 is KINSHIP AND SOCIETY. SOURCE is our interpretation of it. The theme is also inspired by a time when we are flooded with information, and where source criticism and knowledge dissemination are more important than ever. In addition, SOURCE is a valuable entry point to talk about resources and the environment, including man's relationship with nature. During the Olsok Days 2026, we will therefore approach SOURCE in the past, present and future and in everything from the major societal themes to the close and personal questions.

This year's Olympic artist is Brit Fuglevaag. Fuglevaag made her debut at the Autumn Exhibition in 1965. Her artistry is characterized by creative joy, social commitment and experimentation with both expression and materials. She has had a number of exhibitions and decoration commissions at home and abroad, and has been purchased by the Nordenfjeldske Kunstindustrimuseum and the National Museum, among others. Fuglevaag has also taught at the State School of Crafts and Art, where she became the country's first professor of textiles. She was central in the work of having textile art recognized as a full-fledged art form and has received several awards, including Knight of the 1st Class of the Order of St. Olav and the Mérite de dévouement Français.

“We are incredibly proud that Brit Fuglevaag has accepted the role of Olsok Artist,” says Heidi Anett Øvergård Beistad, Director of Museene Arven. “For over 60 years, she has been a pioneer in textile art. In addition to creating groundbreaking works of art that are both beautiful and thought-provoking, Fuglevaag is in herself an invaluable source of knowledge and inspiration. Her approach to material use challenges us all to think about our relationship with nature and which sources we consider valuable.”

Fuglevaag herself says the following about her role as an Olsok artist: "After receiving the Knight 1st Class of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 2023, the ring is complete when I have been selected to become an Olsok artist for 2026. It is both an honor and a great joy to come to Stiklestad and hold an exhibition on this occasion. Trøndelag is my home county where I grew up. I learned various traditional weaving techniques while attending the Handicraft School at Jonsvannet. It was here that I started exploring different textile materials in my work that sparked my interest and love for weaving. That led me to the State School of Crafts and Art and later on out into the world."

The 2026 Olsok Exhibition opens on July 24 at 6:00 p.m. This year's Olsok Days take place July 24-29.