Public Art Program for Norway’s New Government Quarter

Omfattende rehabilitering av regjeringskvartalet

The project involves the creation and installation of a comprehensive public art program within Oslo’s new government quarter, an area covering roughly eight city blocks and totaling about 125,000 square meters. This redevelopment follows the 2011 attack in the quarter and represents one of the largest reconstruction efforts in Norwegian history, with the first phase completed in 2026.

KORO kuraterer betydningsfulle kunstverk

KORO (Public Art Norway) curates and manages the project, which integrates permanent, architecturally embedded artworks by notable Norwegian and international artists. Since 2021, new commissions by artists such as Jumana Manna, Outi Pieski, and Damla Kilickiran have been installed alongside site-specific works and newly placed major public art pieces by other renowned artists including Do Ho Suh, Pablo Picasso, and Edvard Munch. Additionally, new acquisitions are being introduced to the government ministries’ art collection, now comprising approximately 300 existing works alongside these new additions.

Kunstprogram kobler historie og samfunn

The project acknowledges and reflects on the government quarter’s complex and layered history as the symbolic and practical center of Norwegian statehood. The art program acts as a cultural and historical dialogue, weaving together narratives from the past with contemporary artistic expressions. Public engagement is encouraged through celebrations such as the June 6, 2026 event featuring performances and outdoor theater works that highlight the artists’ contributions.

Offentlig tilgjengelige uteområder og park

The government quarter’s plazas and outdoor areas are designed to be accessible to the public year-round, enhancing community interaction with the art and the urban space. The program’s second phase, planned to continue through 2030, will coincide with new construction including a building and public park that will connect key historical streets in the area, further embedding the arts into the evolving government quarter environment.

KOROs sentrale rolle i kunstforvaltning

KORO serves as Norway’s national body responsible for the curation, production, and activation of public art. With a vast collection of over 8,500 artworks reaching around 1,000 sites, KORO also acts as a center for research and knowledge development in public art, ensuring the ongoing vitality and relevance of the government quarter’s art program.