THE PROGRAM FOR THE OLSOKS DAYS 2026 IS READY!
It is a great pleasure to announce the program for the Olsokdagene 2026 with SOURCE as the overall theme. A Stiklestad profile known as one of the country's leading journalists, an Olsok artist characterized by creative joy, community involvement and experimentation with materials, the Play about Saint Olav in the new Stiklestad amphitheater, opening in Stiklestad Church with Minister of Children and Family Lene Vågslid, opening concert with Bjørn Eidsvåg and closing concert with Trang Fødsel are some of the things you can experience at Stiklestad from July 24-29.
The theme for this year's festival is SOURCE. An important reason for this is the National Jubilee 2030, which in 2026 has KINSHIP AND SOCIETY as the thematic superstructure. In addition, SOURCE is inspired by a time when we are flooded with both information and disinformation, and where source criticism and knowledge dissemination are therefore more important than ever. During the 2026 Olsokdagene 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 festival is naturally also colored by a world that is perceived as increasingly unsafe. A vibrant democracy needs knowledge-based meeting places that build both awareness and bridges. We at Museene Arven and Stiklestad National Cultural Center strongly believe that museums can fill such a role. Our goal is therefore that Olsokdagene 2026 will be a colorful picture of the power Stiklestad carries within itself and the uniqueness that arises in the meeting between thousand-year-old lines, the time we live in and the myriad of stories and actors who meet and create something together. A festival that builds community and hope for the future,” says director of Museene Arven, Heidi Anett Øvergård Beistad.
Stiklestad profile Yama Wolasmal's knowledge-based, critical analyses, combined with dialogue and local presence, contribute to invaluable knowledge dissemination. He provides understanding for complex situations without simplifying, creates dialogue that both builds bridges and makes the human and individual aspects of massive conflicts visible. Wolasmal brings us close to the sources, while also showing the value of source criticism. You can meet him in Borggården on July 25.
Olsok Artist of the Year Brit Fuglevaag, who debuted at the Autumn Exhibition in 1965, has had a number of exhibitions and decoration assignments at home and abroad, and has been purchased by the Nordenfjeldske Kunstindustrimuseum and the National Museum, among others. She was central in the work of getting 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. Ingrid Lunnan, director of Trondheim Kunstmuseum and Nordenfjeldske Kunstindustrimuseum (MiST), will open the exhibition on July 24.
The opening of the Olsok Days takes place this year in Stiklestad Church, Friday 24 July. The event is based on SOURCE, which is thematized through various musical and textual interpretations. Here you will meet, among others, André Dyrstad, various artists, mediators and educators from the Arven Museums/Stiklestad National Cultural Center and children from the Play about Saint Olav. Minister of Children and Family Affairs Lene Vågslid is in charge of the official opening.
This year's Speaker Program highlights a diversity of voices and stories. Tore Skeie is book-bazed by Museene Arven's subject manager Kjersti Marie Ellewsen about his new book “Hardråde”. Through collaboration with MiST, Maria Antonie Sæther will come to give the lecture “Solheim and the history of the Romani people in Trøndelag”. Together with the NTNU Medieval Center, we invite you to “Sources to the Game of Saint Olav” with Nina Wester, Peter S. Lunga, Per Steinar Brevik, Ivar Berg and Julian Cadamarteri. Letizia Jaccheri will come to talk about “AI for all – how technology can create community, opportunities and diversity”, a collaboration with the NTNU community. In “Knitting cafe with meaning” you will meet Selbu mittens for peace by Iffit Sætre Qureshi. Bodil Østerås, Håvard Stuberg, Per Steinar Brevik and Kai R. Johansen invite you to take a deep dive into various sources for Stiklestad Church and in the Olsoksamtalen 2026, Bishop Herborg Finnset meets Hans Johan Sagrusten and Bishop Ole Kristian Hovden.
There will also be sources of knowledge at the quiz and on a pilgrimage to the Olavskilden in Klinga with guidance in Hallemsmarka together with Roald Veimo and Lars Børre Hallem. A lively encounter with the Olav legacy will be when we show “Prima Vera's saga about Olav the Holy”.
The game about Saint Olavs artistic director, Nina Wester, has put together a new artistic team for this year's performance. Maren E. Bjørseth is the new director. Also new is choreographer Magnus Myhr, while Torodd Wigum returns as musical director. Morten Svartveit is this year's king and Natalie Bjerke Roland is this year's Gudrun together with an impressive apparatus of professionals and amateurs on, behind and under the stage. The entire "play family" is looking forward to the audience taking the brand new seats in the Stiklestad amphitheater to experience the 2026 edition of the play.
The Olsok Choir with guests, holds this year's Olavsvake concert, and according to tradition, it will be vice evening with Verdal Theatre Company.
For the little ones have we A variety of experiences, including Children's Olympic Day on July 26th with a concert by Sander Steinsli and Elias Hallem. Rocke-Rolf and his band will come to Borggården on July 27th.
In collaboration with Verdal Municipality, we are marking the path towards 2030 by lighting of the year olsokbål 29 July and it will be the "Royal Wedding" where Helga Haga and Mathias Melsæter Rydjord are Princess Astrid and King Olav Haraldsson.
Scandic Stiklestad As usual, we provide good dining experiences and a pleasant atmosphere in the restaurant, both outdoors and indoors.
A warm welcome to meaningful experiences and new memories at Stiklestad!