Leveld Kunstnartun is an artist residency located in Ål, in Hallingdal, approximately halfway between Oslo and Bergen. Established in 2014, the residency has grown into one of Norway’s most distinctive interdisciplinary residency programmes, offering professional artists time, space and working conditions in a small mountain village with a long cultural memory.

Leveld is a hamlet of around 300 inhabitants, surrounded by forest, mountains and a landscape that has historically attracted artists, writers and cultural figures. From the 1920s to the 1960s, several painters and writers came to the village to study, live on local farms and work with the architecture, nature and cultural atmosphere of the area. This historical connection between art and place became one of the motivations behind the creation of Leveld Kunstnartun.

Today, the residency welcomes professional artists across disciplines, including visual artists, composers, writers, architects, designers, musicians, dancers and cross-genre practitioners. Since its establishment, more than 300 artists have completed residencies at Leveld.

The programme is open all year round, with at least three artists in residence at any given time. Artists may stay for one, two or three months, although the residency particularly encourages longer stays of two or three months, allowing artists to work in depth and concentration.

Leveld Kunstnartun is a non-profit association supported by the Norwegian Ministry of Culture, Buskerud County Council and Ål Municipality.

For Nordrom Kunst, Leveld Kunstnartun represents a meaningful example of how a residency can be rooted in place without becoming isolated from wider artistic discourse. It is a programme where landscape, community, silence and artistic professionalism coexist, offering artists not only facilities, but also a particular rhythm of attention.

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In conversation with Leveld Kunstnartun

Nordrom Kunst

How would you describe the identity and mission of Leveld Kunstnartun today?

Leveld Kunstnartun

We strive to be an artist-in-residence programme at the highest professional level, and we are the only programme in Norway with such a broad interdisciplinary profile.

We offer time and space for visual artists of all kinds, composers, writers, architects, designers, musicians, dancers and cross-genre artists.

Established in 2014, we are still quite young. In the coming years, we aim to expand in order to meet the high number of applications we receive. We also seek to be an active part of the local community, inviting artists to give short presentations of their work through open sessions, concerts and events during their stay.

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Nordrom Kunst

What role do the village of Leveld, the surrounding landscape and the local community play in the residency programme?

Leveld Kunstnartun

The village of Leveld and the surrounding landscape are central to the identity of the programme.

Through our unique location, we offer a quiet and idyllic workspace near the forest and close to the mountains. The woods are often used for the summer exhibition, and artists are encouraged to explore the surroundings during their stay.

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Nordrom Kunst

What kind of artists or artistic practices are you hoping to welcome through the 2027 Artist-in-Residence open call?

Leveld Kunstnartun

The selection itself is not carried out by us, but by juries appointed by the Norwegian Association of Young Artists, the Norwegian Authors’ Union and the Norwegian Society of Composers. This ensures professional distance from the process and maintains a high level of artistic quality.

We are therefore excited to discover which artists will be selected. We welcome all forms of artistic expression and look forward to receiving applications for 2027.

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Open Call 2027

Leveld Kunstnartun is currently accepting applications for its 2027 Artist-in-Residence programme.

The open call is addressed to professional artists across all disciplines. Students are not eligible to apply.

Applicants may apply for residencies of one, two or three months. The programme particularly encourages applications for two- or three-month stays, allowing artists to fully benefit from the working conditions and the concentrated environment of Leveld.

Artists are not required to describe a specific project for their stay. The residency is intended as a place where artists can work in concentration with their practice.

Selected artists receive both a working grant and a travel grant.

Application deadline: 20 May 2026
Residency year: 2027
Location: Leveld, Ål municipality, Hallingdal, Norway

Application link: Application LK AiR 2027

Website: Home — Leveld Kunstnartun

Cover image, artist studio overview, Leveld Kunstnartun, Leveld / Ål, Hallingdal.
Photo: Signe Fuglesteg Luksengard. Courtesy of Leveld Kunstnartun.