Introduction

The exhibition Vestnorden Arts & Crafts was first held in Reykjavik in November 2002 where the three West-Nordic countries, Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands, were the main exhibitors. To help us to highlight culture in the North Atlantic and Arctic area we invited other northern countries, from Canada in the west to Finland and the Baltic countries in the east, to participate in the exhibition.

Our aim with the exhibition is to show how people lived and their art and culture. In addition, such an exhibition will make an excellent forum for people from all these countries.

One very important aspect of Crafts exhibitions and Conferences is the informal educative process on the sides, where participants learn how things are done with different materials in artistic work in various parts of the world.

In a large geographical area such as the Arctic, with relatively small populations, cooperation is of vital importance and therefore we have established this project in the hope that it will become a forum for people to meet and make personal contacts as well as to improve yet the making of arts and crafts, things which then can be sold as quality products in Europe.

Our purpose is thus to establish a network between the countries within the arts and crafts.

To achive these goals in the near future, the exhibition committee plans to undertake the following activities:

• Increase cooperation between the participating countries in promoting and marketing by preparing the foundation of an organisation that could actively work to achieve those goals

• Organise exhibitions in the participating countries in addition to promoting the craftwork outside the area

• Prepare and organise events, e.g. conferences and workshops, that each country would like to present

• Actively pursue projects within the Northern Periphery Program

• Participate in the Arctic Council

Sincerely,

Reynir Adolfsson