Open call: DKS-LAB Visual Art Oslo 2026

Are you a visual artist, based in Norway, with an idea for a project or an artistic encounter that can take place in a classroom? Are you interested in creating an art production for and in collaboration with children and youth? Do you want to learn more about dissemination and the Den kulturelle skolesekken (DKS) program? Then DKS-LAB is for you!

Oslo Kunstforening, Fotogalleriet and UKS are announcing this year’s open call for DKS-LAB Oslo. The deadline for applications is on March 16th. We welcome applications from visual artists working with all materials, methods and expressions. Participants will be selected based on the submitted applications with project descriptions. The working language for this year’s DKS-LAB Oslo is English.

DKS-LAB is a program where professional visual artists are invited to test educational projects for children and youth, based on their own artistic practice. Artists apply with an idea that, during the project period, is further developed into a full project, in collaboration with fellow artists and art professionals. The production is then carried out in the classroom with students and evaluated. After the project period, the artist should be confident that the project can be submitted to the regular DKS program.

The purpose of DKS-LAB for visual arts is to provide children and youth with more and better encounters with contemporary art, within a wide variety of expressions, and to give artists the opportunity to practice conveying their own art to the target audience. DKS-LAB is designed to offer artists better conditions to develop content for the DKS program.

DKS-LAB is a nationwide network divided into different regions and is part of the Cultural School Bag (DKS). DKS-LAB for visual art in Oslo 2026 is a collaboration between Oslo Kunstforening, Fotogalleriet and UKS (Unge Kunstneres Samfund) with support from Kulturtanken and DKS Oslo.

We will meet in Oslo to further develop your project through dialogue and testing. Working as a group is an integral part of DKS LAB Oslo. The total working time for the test lab is five full days and will be compensated. The lab ends with a test of your project with students in Oslo schools.

The first two days will be used for an introduction of this year’s participating artists and projects. We will share experiences, and discuss issues related to the program. Days five to seven will be dedicated to practical testing in classrooms. Each artist will conduct one test in a chosen school. All tests are photographed for documentation, and the artist may freely use this material in applications.

– Name, address, phone number, and email
– A brief presentation of your artistic practice (max 1 A4 page)
– A short description of your idea for the mediation program and why you are applying to DKS-LAB Visual Art Oslo (max 1 A4 page). The proposed session should last approximately 60-90 minutes
– Attachments: CV and portfolio. Feel free to include a link to your website 
– Please let us know whether you have previous experience with DKS and/or DKS-LAB, and if so, why you are applying again

Applications should be sent to post@oslokunstforening.no by March 16th.  
Subject: “DKS-LAB 2026.” For questions, please contact Sofia Clausen at sofia@oslokunstforening.no  or by phone +47 22 42 32 65.

March 16: Deadline for submitting applications to DKS-LAB Visual Art Oslo 
April 7–8: Introduction days, presentations and preparations 
April 9–10: DKS-LAB testing in classrooms 
April 23–24: DKS-LAB testing in classrooms, summary and evaluation 

Fall 2026: Review of DKS application portal and application guidance
September 1: The portal for submitting projects to DKS opens
October 1: The portal for submitting projects to DKS closes