Mobilizing knowledge through Sámi and Indigenous art

WP9, Birgejupmi Through Art, explores art and craft as ways of relating to and caring for one’s environment, strengthening Indigenous voices, and sustaining relationships with land and sea. Rooted in Sámi art, Indigenous values, knowledge, and practices, WP9 highlights art as a means of healing, resistance, resilience, and cultural survival.

By bringing artistic practices into dialogue with Indigenous knowledge systems and research approaches, WP9 creates spaces where Indigenous artists and communities can share their perspectives, experiences, and visions. It explores how art and duodji (traditional Sámi craft) can support well-being, strengthen political and cultural agency, and express relationships with land, sea, and ecological systems.

Through exhibitions, international conferences, and educational initiatives, WP9 promotes Sámi and Indigenous art as a powerful means of knowledge-sharing, reconciliation, and social engagement. Building on previous initiatives such as EadnametMaid and SápmiToo, and working with partners across Sápmi, Kalaallit Nunaat, and Canada, WP9 strengthens connections between Indigenous artists, communities, and institutions.

A key objective is to develop, together with the Sámi University of Applied Sciences, an international higher education course in Indigenous art and discourse. By building artistic, institutional, and collective capacity, WP9 aims to ensure that Sámi art and Indigenous knowledge not only endure, but actively contribute to shaping more just and sustainable futures.