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A Step Forward for Inclusion in the Performing Arts

Through SKUDA FUNKIS, we aim to open more doors and create real opportunities for actors and dancers with disabilities to work and develop artistically in Norway.

The SKUDA FUNKIS project is founded on the recognition that the performing arts sector holds significant untapped potential, and that we, as employers, have a responsibility to contribute to change. Through SKUDA FUNKIS, our goal is to strengthen both individuals and the sector as a whole by developing programmes, building competencies among employers, and creating greater space for diversity and participation within the arts.

Why Is This So Important?

Despite political ambitions and growing awareness of diversity and inclusion, participation by performing artists with disabilities remains limited. The reasons are complex and related to cultural norms, systemic barriers, insufficient accessibility measures, and differing perspectives on disability, including medical versus human rights approaches.

Research points to several challenges:

• Norway faces a labour shortage, while more than 104,000 people with disabilities (Statistics Norway, 2019) wish to be employed.
• Inclusion and diversity can contribute to increased social sustainability at the individual, organizational, and societal levels.
• Universal design and accessibility are still lacking in a significant proportion of Norwegian workplaces (NOU, 2023).

• Only two out of ten companies are aware of which access needs are eligible for financial support (FFO, 2021).

• Only 50% of employers know where to find information or support related to workplace access needs (FFO, 2021).

• Key success factors include good leadership and systematic long-term efforts.

The Norwegian Arts Council's report Artist – an accessible profession? (2023) provides further insight into the driving forces and barriers affecting whether people with disabilities can pursue education and work as professional artists in Norway.

The Inquiry That Laid the Foundation

In autumn 2023, the Board of the Norwegian Actors' and Dancers' Alliance (SKUDA) decided to initiate an inquiry focused on identifying how SKUDA could contribute to greater inclusion.

The mandate was:

"To investigate the possibilities for employing performing artists with disabilities within the Norwegian Actors' and Dancers' Alliance, and for including performing artists with disabilities in the Alliance's mentoring programme."

The resource group met for the first time in 2024 and consisted of:

• Tone Pernille Østern, Professor of Arts Education, NTNU
• Mari Storstein, Director
• Anne Grethe Solberg, Sociologist, Consultant and Business Adviser
• Tone Øvrebø Johannessen, Managing Director, SKUDA
• Henriette Myhre, Project Manager SKUDA FUNKIS TALENT

The resource group's findings clearly demonstrated that the path into Norway's cultural sector and labour market remains filled with barriers for artists with disabilities. Many of these barriers are structural rather than individual in nature: normalized exclusion, institutions that are insufficiently accessible, a lack of expertise among both employers and artists, and a narrow understanding of artistic quality that creates unnecessary limitations.

Meetings with the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration further highlighted the importance of solutions that both support individual artists and reflect the realities of the performing arts sector.

Our Response to the Challenges

Over the past several years, SKUDA has taken active steps to address these challenges. Through targeted efforts, we have strengthened our internal expertise, adapted organizational practices, and shared knowledge widely throughout the sector. Our goal

has always been to contribute to lasting change, both for individual artists and for the performing arts field as a whole.

Among other initiatives, we have:

• Strengthened SKUDA's internal expertise through participation in seminars, lectures, and professional events.
• Reviewed our own organizational practices and completed the Balansemerket (Balance Label) programme in 2024.
• Begun preparations for certification through the Equal Working Life /Likestilt Arbeidsliv programme Likestilt arbeidsliv | English on Vimeo.
• Mapped relevant organizations and initiatives nationally and internationally.
• Shared acquired knowledge through extensive meetings and collaborative initiatives with the performing arts sector.
• Expanded SKUDA's national and international networks within the field of disability and inclusion.
• Organized seminars and networking events focused on diversity of abilities since 2024.
• Initiated the development of a digital Industry Guide for Employers, prepared by the Association of Norwegian Theatres and Orchestras (Norsk teater- og orkesterforening – NTO) (2025).
• Raised sector-wide challenges in political meetings and included disability inclusion as a priority measure in SKUDA's annual operating grant applications to the Ministry of Culture.
• Developed SKUDA FUNKIS TALENT, a talent programme for actors and dancers with disabilities.

In 2025, the programme received funding from Sparebankstiftelsen DNB and Talent Norge.

SKUDA FUNKIS TALENT

SKUDA FUNKIS TALENT is more than an individual talent development programme. It is a societal initiative that bridges artistic development, employer competence, and a more inclusive cultural sector. The programme is built on the belief that diversity creates strength, both artistically and socially, and provides participants with concrete opportunities through employment, mentoring, career development, and national and international networking.

Our goal is clear: to create a cultural sector where all artists can participate on equal terms and contribute their voices, experiences, and artistic expressions.

The Programme

The programme consists of five key components:

1. Employment of artists with disabilities within SKUDA
2. Expanded industry and sector collaboration
3. Professional networking
4. Competence development
5. Participation in SKUDA's mentoring programme for artists in the early stages of their careers

Employment and Artistic Development

SKUDA FUNKIS TALENT employs one actor and one dancer during the period 2026–2027, providing them with a stable framework for work and artistic development.

The programme combines:

• Employment
• Mentoring
• Career guidance
• Networking opportunities
• Professional development initiatives

• Participation in the broader SKUDA community

Collaboration with the Performing Arts Sector

Through close collaboration with theatres, producers, and cultural institutions, we help create new employment opportunities for artists with disabilities.

Partnership agreements with employers provide continuity and artistic development, both for the participating artists and for the sector as a whole. These collaborations strengthen representation on Norwegian stages and are essential to the successful implementation of the programme.

National and International Networks

Participation in national and international networks strengthens knowledge-sharing and increases professional expertise among artists, cultural professionals, and the performing arts sector.

Networking activities provide opportunities for:

• International exchange
• Professional collaboration
• Knowledge development
• Sharing of best practices
• Increased visibility for artists with disabilities

Competence Development

Through targeted professional development initiatives organized in cooperation with expert environments in Norway and abroad, the programme offers learning opportunities for:

• Performing artists
• Creative artists
• Educators
• Employers

Emphasis is placed on disability, inclusion and diversity.

These programmes are open to everyone, both artists with and without disabilities, and are developed in close collaboration with professional stakeholders in the performing arts sector.

Participation in SKUDA's Mentoring Programme

Through participation in SKUDA's Mentoring Programme, emerging artists receive close and targeted professional support throughout an entire year.

Since 2013, SKUDA has offered its mentoring programme to support artists in the establishment phase of their careers. Today, the programme is delivered in partnership with Vissa, an established provider working with many leading organisations.

The mentoring programme aims to create a bridge between experienced artists and those who are just beginning their professional journey by connecting SKUDA's employed artists with emerging practitioners.

A Groundbreaking Programme in Norwegian Performing Arts

The SKUDA FUNKIS TALENT programme represents groundbreaking work within the Norwegian performing arts sector.

Through close collaboration with professional theatres and institutions, we create pathways for artists with disabilities into both artistic communities and professional employment. The programme is unique in Norway and is rooted in:

• SKUDA's strategic vision, values, and long-term objectives
• The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

This initiative forms an important part of SKUDA's long-term commitment to creating sustainable careers for all performing artists in Norway.

We expect the programme to generate significant societal impact through:

• Increased representation
• Greater equality and inclusion
• Reduced social exclusion
• Enhanced social sustainability
• Expanded understanding of artistic quality
• Increased employment opportunities

• Improved accessibility and inclusive practices within cultural institutions
• Growth of new audience groups

Furthermore, the programme serves as an important awareness-building initiative. Increased knowledge encourages bias-free recruitment and creates visible role models for future generations. This can strengthen children's and young people's belief in their own opportunities to participate in Norwegian arts and cultural life, ultimately contributing to increased employment within both the performing arts and the broader labour market.

Funding 2025–2027

SKUDA FUNKIS TALENT receives funding totaling NOK 5.4 million from:

• Talent Norge, through the programme Together for Equal Opportunities
• Sparebankstiftelsen DNB through the programme Danseløftet (The Dance Initiative)

Together for Equal Opportunities

Through Talent Norge's support of SKUDA FUNKIS TALENT, the Norwegian Actors' and Dancers' Alliance is part of the national initiative Together for Equal Opportunities.

Launched by Olympiatoppen and Talent Norge, with support from Sparebankstiftelsen DNB and Norsk Tipping, the initiative is a five-year collaborative programme designed to promote equal opportunities within sports and culture through targeted measures that increase diversity and quality.

The initiative responds to the need for broader recruitment practices and increased participation from underrepresented groups.

Together for Equal Opportunities consists of eight talent programmes across Norway.

Danseløftet (The Dance Initiative)

Through support from Sparebankstiftelsen DNB, the Norwegian Actors' and Dancers' Alliance is represented on the advisory council for established partner organizations within Danseløftet.

Danseløftet is an ambitious long-term initiative (2026–2036) designed to strengthen dance nationally and locally through:

• Increased accessibility
• Broad participation
• Sustainable development

The initiative seeks to create lasting impact for children and young people, artists, audiences, and the voluntary cultural sector.

SKUDA is represented on the advisory council by:

• Tone Øvrebø Johannessen, Managing Director
• Henriette Myhre, Project Manager, SKUDA FUNKIS TALENT

Employees

The Norwegian Actors’ and Dancers’ Alliance (SKUDA) has employed two artists, commencing on 1 January 2026, through the groundbreaking SKUDA FUNKIS TALENT programme for performing artists with disabilities.

The programme has been developed with funding from Sparebankstiftelsen DNB and Talent Norge, with the aim of strengthening representation both in Norwegian working life and on Norwegian stages. The programme’s vision is an equitable and inclusive cultural sector in which performing artists with disabilities participate on equal terms with colleagues without disabilities.

The Employed Artists

How the Programme Period Works

The artists are employed by SKUDA for a two-year period, from January 2026 through December 2027.

During this period, they will work:

1. Within SKUDA
2. With employers across the Norwegian/International performing arts sector, through productions and other artistic engagements.

To ensure meaningful employment opportunities, SKUDA has entered into partnership agreements with employers throughout Norway. The artists are also expected to actively pursue professional engagements during the programme period.

Work may involve periods away from their home municipality and participation in:

• Networking trips
• Professional gatherings
• Mentorship activities
• Artistic development initiatives

Participation in SKUDA FUNKIS TALENT provides valuable work experience with established employers in the Norwegian performing arts field while helping the artists build national and international professional networks that can support future freelance careers.

Participants Receive

Artists employed in SKUDA FUNKIS TALENT receive:

• Two years of employment with SKUDA
• One year of one-to-one mentoring
• Professional development through seminars and workshops
• Two hours of career guidance annually
• Up to two networking trips per year
•  

• Participation in SKUDA’s professional and social community activities, staff gatherings, and health-and-safety initiatives
• Access to Talent Norge’s coaching services and professional development events

Salary

Artists employed by SKUDA are paid according to SKUDA's salary regulations, based on seniority and previous professional experience as performers.

Salary levels are adjusted annually in line with collective agreements at Norway’s public performing arts institutions.

When working for external employers or commissioners, artists are remunerated according to the applicable contractual agreements and conditions of those organizations.

The 1:1 Mentoring Programme

The SKUDA FUNKIS TALENT mentoring programme provides each employed artist with a self-selected mentor for one year.

The mentoring relationship focuses on artistic development through clear objectives established jointly by mentor and mentee. Mentors provide ongoing support through monthly meetings throughout the year.

The programme follows recognized professional mentoring standards. During the programme launch, mentors and mentees receive training and role clarification from Elisabeth Østrem of Vissa, a specialist in organizational psychology.

The primary literature used in the programme is Learning Alliances (2nd Edition) by Jennybeth Ekeland.

SKUDA FUNKIS TALENT receives:

• Progress reports every four months
• A final evaluation and recommendation report on programme completion

Camilla Tellefsen - Mentor to Jean-Baptiste Baele

Camilla Tellefsen is a dance artist, choreographer, and cultural producer with a background in breaking, popping, hip-hop, and waacking.

She is co-founder of:

• Subsdans (Subsdans)
• Soul Sessions Oslo (Soul Sessions Oslo — Street- og clubdance i Norge)
• dEEP down dopEiZM (Instagram)

She served as Festival Director of Urban Moves at Dansens Hus from 2008–2017.

Among her choreographic works are:

• Battle
• Battle: Freestyle (Netflix)
• Dancing Queen
• Lucy
• Gamer
• Into the Deep

She won Juste Debout Nordic 2018 in the popping category and has received both the Norwegian Government Artist Grant and the Rolf Gammleng Honorary Award (2021).

Barbra Coco Laurré - Mentor to Vanja Maria Kern Vestenfor

Barbra Coco Laurré originally trained as an actor through a five-year professional programme in Switzerland.

She has worked for many years as a university lecturer at the Norwegian Academy of Music, teaching musician health and stage awareness.

Laurré is the author of Mesterøving: A Book on Motivation, Inspiration and Creativity, focusing on performing arts and mental health, published by Norsk Musikkforlag in February 2024.

Career Guidance

Career guidance consists of trust-based development conversations between the adviser and the artist seeking career growth.

SKUDA FUNKIS TALENT offers two individual career guidance sessions annually during 2026–2027, led by Anne Grethe Solberg.

The adviser will:

• Ask open, exploratory, and motivating questions
• Use a range of development tools and perspectives
• Provide practical advice and recommendations
• Assist with presenting competencies effectively in a CV
• Support interview and audition preparation
• Arrive fully prepared for each session

The participant is expected to:

• Reflect on relevant career choices and goals
• Listen, analyse, and engage in discussion
• Take responsibility for personal development and learning
• Take ownership of motivation and willingness to change
• Arrive prepared for meetings

The objective of career guidance is:

To enable participants to mobilize their own strengths and resources in order to build an economically secure and professionally sustainable career.

Anne Grethe Solberg

Anne Grethe Solberg is herself disabled, living with an amputated arm and a hip impairment, and is a highly experienced career coach.

For more than 25 years she has worked with career advancement programmes across multiple sectors, including:

• Futura Finance
• Oda Programme
• Female Future (NHO)

She is recognized for her achievements in career development and motivation of people with disabilities. Solberg is also an acclaimed lecturer and author, including the book A Whole Person in Half a Body.

She holds a PhD in Sociology and research inclusion and diversity in working life at the Work Research Institute. In addition, she is a certified meditation instructor and has extensive experience as a consultant and adviser with EY, Capgemini, Hartmark, and ISCO Group.

Opportunities Provided Through Talent Norge

Coaching

Through Talent Norge, participants in SKUDA FUNKIS TALENT are offered individual coaching sessions designed to support professional and personal development.

ArtEx Professional Development Gatherings

Talent Norge organizes four annual ArtEx gatherings for its network of artists and organizations.

These events are also open to participants in SKUDA FUNKIS TALENT and provide valuable opportunities for learning, reflection, and network building.

Health Services for Young Artists

In partnership with Olympiatoppen, Talent Norge offers programme participants access to specialist health services through Olympiatoppen’s health department.

The aim is to provide young artists with the support and healthcare needed to meet the unique demands of professional artistic careers.

International Collaboration

European Arts & Disability Cluster (ADICLUS)

SKUDA is a member of the European Arts and Disability Cluster (ADICLUS), a European membership network established in 2019 and consisting of artists, cultural workers, arts organisations, and cultural institutions.

In 2026, the network became a registered Belgian non-profit association, with its headquarters in Brussels.

ADICLUS works to create professional opportunities for artists and cultural workers with disabilities and those who are Deaf. The network facilitates:

• International knowledge exchange
• Identification and sharing of best practices
• Professional collaboration across borders

• Advocacy for greater fairness and equity within the European cultural sector

Contributor

EY Norway has provided pro bono support to the Norwegian Actors' and Dancers' Alliance by assisting with various legal and practical matters related to the SKUDA

FUNKIS TALENT programme through EY Ripples, EY's global corporate responsibility programme.

EY Ripples works to create a more sustainable future by supporting the workforce of tomorrow, promoting sustainable entrepreneurship, and accelerating efforts to address climate change.

EY has provided this support free of charge.

Contact

For inquiries regarding the artists or further information about the project, please contact:

Henriette Myhre
Project Manager, SKUDA FUNKIS TALENT

📞 +47 22 46 27 37 / +47 90867877 / +47 48990233
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