Youth Reflux

The Youth Reflux (Tilbakestrom) project was initiated by Vesteralen Cultural Council as part of the focus of six Nordland County municipalities during the period of 2000-2012. The project focuses on youth between the ages of 20-35 years who are originally from Vesteralen and are working in the fields of art and culture.  It provides opportunities to young people to return to their home region to implement and participate in cultural activities.

Through the various project activities, the Vesteralen Cultural Council's  aim was to explore the extent to which young people who have moved away from their home places and who are studying or working in the fields of art and culture can be both innovators and participants in local cultural life.  They are invited to bring along fellow students and professional artist associates as part of the projects they wish to implement in Vesteralen.

The project results have shown that young artists gladly accept the challenge and are excited about bringing new cultural expressions to their home towns.  Each year there is a call for applications and financial support is provided up to a maximum of 25000 NOK for three - four projects.  The projects include performances, concerts, exhibitions in at least two local municipalities.  There have been 35 projects completed.  21 under the auspices of the artists and 14 through the Vesteralen Cultural Council and/or the individual municipalities. Project website: (Language: Norwegian only) http://www.vestreg.no/tilbakestrom/

Tilbakestrom also offers an internet-based resouce bank of young Vesteralen artists.  It is comprised of some 90 names, including filmmakers, poets, dramatic artists, musicians, dancers and designers who are studying or working in cities such as Oslo, Bergen, Tromso, Melbourne, or London.  The common denominator for all of these young people is their roots in Vesteralen and a desire to return home from time to time to share their expertise and create local audiences. The resource bank also provides guidance for municipalities that wish to host the young artists.  It provides artist profiles and standard rates regarding artist fees and student renumeration.

It is important that Tilbakestrom not be regarded as isolated financial support for young artists but rather as a revitalization project for the six coastal municipalities that need to maintain contact with their own artists, free thinkers, pioneers and visionaries.

In 2004, the second Tilbakestrom was established in Eastern Iceland.  The collaboration has enabled a cross sharing of performances of artists from both regions.