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Since we started in 2019, we have been approached by hundreds of artists from all over the world, all eager to come to Rjukan. While it has not been possible to host them all, we are now excited to announce new initiatives towards permanent structures for AiR in Rjukan.

For this, we will involve Yanina Zaichanka, who will graduate from KHIO in the spring of 2026 and represents a generation of young artists who have grown up with an urgent need for the concept of “Solarpunk” to be filled with direction, meaning, and content. 

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Rainforests are burning, extreme weather events occur with higher frequency, mountains of waste affect the poor disproportionately, nanoplastic is everywhere, child labor is used in many productions… It is easy to despair. Hope, however, is hard work. It takes courage to hope. Hope comes in different flavors. There’s hope beyond reason. There’s hope in times of dire need. There’s also hope that inspires action. What gives me hope is seeing people unite for a cause, small local communities finding solutions for local issues together, witnessing solidarity in action… These instances of humanity and radical kindness make me believe that a better future is possible.

Artists and culture workers have often been part of movements for structural change. The precarious position of being an artist inspires worker solidarity as one lives through the struggle of finding security and stability. Striving for change also presupposes the belief that a better world is possible. This is where I see the role of culture workers: in imagining a different way of being, many different ways of being. I’m imagining a future where there is place for everyone, accommodations for people with different needs, respect for individuality and acceptance of diversity. It’s not a utopia, it’s not a perfect monolith inhabited by perfect humans. There are as many paradises as there are people with their unique qualities.

This is what Solarpunk is for me: hope that can be brought to life. It’s allowing for plurality and complexity, acknowledging that different contexts need different solutions, and acting in the present rather than hoping that one day things will get better. Rjukan Solarpunk Academy is a very inspiring initiative that connects people from many walks of life, with different competences: scientists and academics, farmers and artists. It’s a wonderful example of grassroot action to improve the status quo.

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YANINA ZAICHANKA, 2025