DOKS

The aim of the DOKS project is to strengthen the cross-border labour market for professional dance practitioners in the Øresund-Kattegat-Skagerrak region, with a particular focus on the independent dance sector. This sector includes small dance companies and freelance artists, who often work under precarious employment conditions and have limited career development opportunities in a fragmented labour market. By promoting concrete exchanges and collaborations across the borders between Sweden, Denmark and Norway, the project aims to create more and better job opportunities for these professionals, e.g. leading to more co-productions and more touring for the companies, thereby ensuring the long-term sustainability of the dance sector in the region.

The project wishes to strengthen professional networks, open up new collaborations and stimulate innovation within the dance sector, thereby building skills and relationships across national borders.

The project thus enables dance professionals to meet and exchange experiences through workshops, seminars and other networking activities, and it includes all employee groups, from dancers, producers and technicians to communications staff and others. The aim is therefore also to strengthen professional development and increase understanding of the different working conditions and working environments in each country, which is crucial for increasing collaboration and knowledge of artists across national borders.

The partners in this new Nordic collaboration are Rum för Dans (SE), Bærum – Dans Sørøst-Norge (NO) and Bora Bora (DK).

It is the first time that the EU Interreg Öresund-Kattegat-Skagerrak fund has supported professional dance practitioners, recognising the need to strengthen the labour market for professionals in the field of dance.

Facts about DOKS:
– The project is led by: Rum för Dans (RfD) in Sweden is the lead partner, while Bora Bora in Denmark and Bærum Kulturhus – Dans Sørøst-Norge are national partners.
– All three organisations play a key role in bringing together professionals from the three countries and creating a more cohesive labour market.
– RfD, which is part of Region Halland, contributes with its expertise in the dance and cultural sector, while Bora Bora and Bærum Kulturhus – Dans Sørøst-Norge contribute with their experience in both the production and development of dance projects.
– The project is supported by EU Interreg Öresund-Kattegat-Skagerrak (ÖKS).
– Project period: 2025-2028
– Total budget: 2,939,947 Euro
– Financing: 60% Interreg ÖKS, 40% financing from project partners

Facts about INTERREG ÖKS:

Name:
Interreg Öresund-Kattegat-Skagerrak (Interreg ÖKS)

What is INTERREG:
Interreg is the EU’s programme for cross-border cooperation. The programme supports projects that contribute to regional development, economic growth, environmental improvements and cultural cooperation across national borders. Interreg is the EU’s programme for promoting social and economic integration across national borders through regional cooperation. The programme supports projects that contribute to regional development, economic growth, environmental improvements and cultural cooperation across national borders. Interreg was established in 1990 to strengthen cooperation between neighbouring regions divided by national borders.

Geographical area:
The programme covers coastal regions and metropolitan areas and consists of two sub-programmes that formally function as a single programme unit.
– Kattegat-Skagerrak: Comprises Agder, Vestfold and Telemark, Akershus, Buskerud, Østfold, Oslo, Västra Götaland Region, Halland Region, North Jutland Region and Central Jutland Region.
– Øresund: Covers Region Skåne, Region Hovedstaden and Region Sjælland.

Objective:
To strengthen cooperation between regions in three countries through joint projects in areas such as innovation, green transition, mobility and culture.

Funding:
The projects are partly funded by EU funds and partly by the project partners’ own funding.

Culture and the creative sector:
Interreg is increasingly supporting cultural projects that promote jobs, cooperation and sustainable development in the creative industries and the arts.

Photo: Tomas Lauvland Pettersen

Lotte Kofod Ludvigsen
Member of the steering committee
+4525742324
lotte (at) bora-bora.dk

Sjaja Haddidi
Project Manager
+4525323954
sjaja (at) bora-bora.dk

Karin Buhl Slæggerup
Communications Manager
+4520437254
karin (at) bora-bora.dk