Thought and pleasure sessions and club. This is the fourth edition of Open Out Festival (NOR) called ‘Border/Lines’. It begins 4 September and lasts for a beautiful week, most of our programme happens Friday to late Saturday, 10 to 11 September. The place is Prostneset. The Claw/Kloen (WHEREVER) will shine from the port onto the sea. Welcome to a celebration of queerness and joy.

Tentative programme: Friday, 10 September you can meet the invited artists Danja Burchard (DEU) and Maike Statz (AUS), coming directly from Oslo with us. They will touch upon queering architectures, borders and lines, sci-fi, possible futures, genders, and such. A glorious double performative session and open conversation. After, we blend into yet another meeting, with the Open Out crew. Followed by bar and lounge. We may play ourselves as well. Saturday, 11 September the evening kicks off as we chat with Skeiv kopp (NOR) about their generous work making ceramics vessels (things to pour liquids or other substances into) celebrating queer icons. The cups are made to give away; some sort of activism to let the queerness infiltrate private spaces ;~} Nighttime we make a club in the glass box of Prostneset (NOR)! DJ: An old friend and local, Charlotte Bendiks (NOR). Kurant (NOR) host the bar this time, and our Karma* x Disko Brewing (NOR) ale ‘↗︎ Sailor’ is available (and special price) and stays for the whole festival! Please join us, both days from 18 CEST.

Check ↗︎ Open Out Festival for updates!!

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The Open Out Closing party!!!

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Photo album by Skeiv kopp (NOR)gone Tromsø!

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Partners in pleasure and crime; generosity, magic, fellow minds

WOW-WOW-WOW. As soon as touching the grounds of Tromsø, we were brought to a dark enormous space, following a dim ‘catwalk’ (and meeting a half disturbing mannequin on the way) before entering a lit corner with pillows, plants, candle lights, and no less than a 7-course meal — served by Middagsklubben Yummi, in drag. Down-to-earth glam-gourmet. Yes, this happened. Already among friends. — The last days Karmaklubb* has been so lucky doing a few ‘thought and pleasure’ sessions and club at the fourth edition of the Open Out Festival, ‘Border/Lines’. All in the glass triangle of Prostneset, Tromsø port. DJing with full view to sea and mountains — at certain times, even Hurtigruta. Open Out understand queer both in terms of sexual orientation (non-heterosexual), as well as in a more political sense: ‘It is about thinking outside the box, challenging dominant narratives and reinventing the future with more […] divergent voices within society. [A] festival that is inclusive, diverse, and bringing Tromsø and the world together.’ You did. With us on this flying carpet was family; Danja Burchard (DEU) and Maike Statz (AUS), coming directly from Oslo with us. Sharing ideas on queering architectures; bodies in queues, lines, borders (while being in a terminal); sci-fi, possible futures and genders; rainbow castles — and jellyfish. A glorious double performative session and open conversation. Jo and Pia in Skeiv kopp (NOR), as well: Thank you for your amazing presence, for bringing a couple of your cups, sharing thoughts and common interests in celebration as activist practice and way of life. Love to friend and local guru Charlotte Bendiks (NOR); not only a long longed-for reunion, but also a genuine and eclectic selection of tunes; 3.5 hours of dance and pure pleasure in the green light. — This was not a weekend of ‘talking’; it was acting out and practicing wishful realities. Thank you for an enormous generosity; kindness; skills and will; opening your homes; no need for explanations along. Thank you for inviting us to create no less than *magic* together!! Much gratitude to the magnificent people behind Open Out; Marion, Camilla, Amalie, Anna, and Kristina — you make the world better. Kurant, too; partner in mission through Kurant9000 and KurantBAR; what a job! Daniela Toma for splendid documentation; Mondo Books and Print Master Marion (once again) for the RISO printporn; everyone involved and helping out somehow; YOU 200+ who showed up … with and without clothes, enjoyed yourself at the dance floor and/or the many islands built around this huge space. An architectural construction of glass is not only transparent per definition, but such creating visibility and opening walls. This was a very special experience, close to nature, close to people. Even sun and polar lights. Is this common up north, or is it just you?! To be continued. På gjensyn! Au revoir ... No goodbyes.