P-ART-Y
Each year, we build a new large-scale sculpture—and invite a festival to move inside it.
Since 2023, P-ART-Y has taken over the field outside our studio at Odderøya in Kristiansand for three days each summer.
Every edition begins with a new physical world: a pyramid, a colosseum, a starship or a reversed zoo. Working with scaffolding and other modular building systems allows us to create temporary sculptures at an architectural scale—structures people can enter, inhabit and transform.
The structure is not simply a setting for the programme. It establishes the festival’s artistic world and gives invited artists something concrete to respond to. Performances, music, visual art, workshops and collective experiments develop inside and around it.
During the day, P-ART-Y is open to all ages, with workshops, play, performances and activities families can enter together. As evening arrives, the festival changes character—moving towards concerts, dancing and a party for adults.
Audiences are not only there to watch. Bodies, actions, participation and unexpected encounters become part of the sculpture’s changing form.
For three days, the structure and everything happening within it become one large living sculpture.
Make art together. Have fun. P-ART-Y.
Editions
P-ART-Y 2023 — Pyramid
The first P-ART-Y began as an experiment: could a 13-metre-high scaffolding pyramid become a living sculpture?
We invited artists to perform, create workshops and make work throughout the structure, then opened it to the audience. People entered, participated and changed what happened inside it.
The experiment worked.
P-ART-Y 2024 — Colosseum
For the second edition, we built a large scaffolding colosseum and invited artists to create performances, artworks, workshops and music in response to the arena.
Alongside this programme, JAM created a participatory show that took place each day. Before entering the Colosseum, audience members made gladiator costumes and decided what they wanted to fight for.
They joined actors, artists and dancers inside the arena, becoming part of a spectacle involving cucumber battles, personal and political causes—and a giant lion that ate the world’s problems.
P-ART-Y 2025 — Starship
For its third edition, P-ART-Y became a temporary starship: a large sculptural world inhabited by artists, performances and audiences.
Across the three days, JAM led a participatory journey to a new planet. Starting from a world full of problems, participants considered what was worth bringing with them—and what should be left behind. They built their chosen objects from cardboard, painted and shaped them, then presented them as possible cargo for the journey.
Two aliens arrived to guide the starship through space. As part of the show, performers and audience members decided together what could come aboard. The vote took the form of a dance: if people wanted something to travel with them, they danced.
Eventually, the starship reached the new planet—and everyone celebrated their arrival with a big party.
P-ART-Y 2026 — Reversed Zoo
P-ART-Y entered the world of Reversed Zoo. Humans were placed in cages while animals and art moved freely through three days of performances, workshops, costumes and other strange encounters.
For this edition, the Reversed Zoo universe expanded with two new works: Animal City Train, taking animals on guided safaris, and Remote-Controlled Humans, where miniature humans raced for the entertainment of the animals.
Credits
P-ART-Y is initiated, curated and produced by JAM PUBLIC.
Participating artists and groups
2023 — Pyramid
Magnus Sparsaas, Anders Lauge Meldgaard, Julian Blaue, Neue Farben, Erlend Evensen, Ida Fugli, Tuva Svendsen, DJ Grydeklud, Hans Edward Hammonds, Roger Gregersen, Anders Hardeland, Lasse Årikstad, Ulrik Waarli Grimstad, Åsne My Ingersdatter, Amale Larsen, Jon S. Lunde, MJ UNTERSTELLAR, GNooR, Edy Poppy, Karen Pettersen, Filip Ring, Laura Spottag Fog, Samvær Under Tilsün, Thomas Askeland Svendsen, Simon Trzmiel, Uten en Tråd, Torgeir Riise, Buster Bruun, Aud Tone Ausland, Jesper Aabille, Terje Dragseth, Luis Solheim Premak, Elin Grønvik, Marte Ekhougen, Flux Manøver and Lovlydia & the Cast of Ludo.
2024 — Colosseum
David Sherry, Dromedar, Great Artists Doing Okay, Morten Liene, Rjukan Solarpunk Academy, Assembly, Fredrik Landmark, Neue Farben, NEPCO, Alvar Elias Ekhougen Larsen, Roastfish & Cornbread Sound System, ÛNTERSTELLAR, Gatelangs, Jesper Aabille, IKU SAKAN, Lovlydia, DJ Grydeklud, SPEKTRA + FURBY, Rusty Nails, Opplysningsrock, Sigrun Tara Øverland, Yngvar Nielsen Skuland, Bjørn Skog, Kyrre Waag, Ørjan Moen, Amale Larsen, DJ Lexie, THE DJ-TEAM, JAM PUBLIC, Maggi Asbjørnsen, Christian De Bruin, Søssa Jørgensen, Geir Tore Holm, Gabriela Melo Larsen, Even Sigurdsen Røstad, Kristin Stokka Troxel, Marte Ekhougen, Lone Eivindsdottir, Eivind Slettemeås, Jeppe Kristensen, Fredrik Jacobsen, Åsne My Ingersdatter, Nakne Vekkelsen, D-VRS CREW, Arne Vilhelm Tellefsen, Tony Higginson, Berent Philip Moe, Buster Bruun, Erlend Evensen, Terje Pettersen, Filip Ring, David Goncalves, Gunnar Klepp, DJ BREVET, Robert Harrison and DJ SUPERMELLE.
2025 — Starship
Monica Winther, Eventyr i Parken, Kirsty Kross, Neue Farben, Ylve Thon, DJ Nonfamous Tomas, Wojciech Laskowski, Nick Tobier, Ani Even, DJ Grydeklud, Joakim Dan Jørgensen, Rachel Cohn, Klubb Kosmos, Marija Bliznac, Gul Stue, Skeive Vekkelsen, Even Sigurdsen Røstad, Annette Stav, NaTy, DJ Lexie, Døbbinøff, Helene Skajaa, Amundsen & Dragseth, Aksel Løseth Waade, DJ Y, Kunstarbejdere for et frit Palestina with Kirsten Dufour and Finn Thybo Andersen, Mattias Hellberg, Buster Bruun, Vandreteateret, Christian De Bruin, Vidar Klepto, even.wav and JAM PUBLIC.
2026 — Reversed Zoo
Koppen & Jorken, Evy Vikestad, Noomi, Hugo and Amir Asgharnejad, Gråtende Hunder, Nick Tobier, DJ Grydeklud, Michael Bolt Fisher, Even Sigurdsen Røstad, Annette Stav Johansen, Andrew James Zealey, Mattias Hellberg, Kristian Isachsen, Regine Stensæth Josefsen, Mathea Stensæth Josefsen, Thomas Gunerius, Kjetil Stray Homme, Jonas Kjeldgaard Sørensen, Kjetil Stavenes, Vilde Stensland Vinje, Thomas Askeland Svendsen, Audun Skeie, Rachel Cohn, Jesper Aabille, DJ Ylve, Thin Duc, Lasse Årikstad, Elias Forberg, Tedde Twetman, Frøydis Andersen, Terje Pettersen, Hannah Torres, Fredrik Landmark, Kragerø Kunstskole, Opplysningsrock, Ulrik Waarli Grimstad, Birk Leo Andreassen, Torbjørn Kamfjord, Helene Skajaa, House of Dromedar with Annette and Frøya, Elena Eik and JAM PUBLIC.
Supported by: KORO – Public Art Norway, Arts Council Norway, Agder County Municipality and Kristiansand Municipality.
