Theme Strindberg
Throughout 2012, Strindberg is being celebrated, both in Sweden and abroad. The Culture Festival turns the spotlight on our friend August, with a programme that illuminates his writing, his music and his favourite places around Stockholm.

Raoul Wallenberg, 1912-2012
Raoul Wallenberg was born 100 years ago and this is noticed in 2012 in the whole world, as well as during the Culture Festival.

The Culture Festival likes Catalonia
Many of us are attracted to the intensity and beauty of Barcelona and the Catalan. The Culture Festival will this year keep a mini track of what's going on with street performers, theater and music.

Strindbergland – a visit to the world Strindberg inhabited, created and influenced. The Culture Festival puts the spotlight on our friend August, with a programme that illuminates his work, his favourite music and his favourite places in Stockholm.

On 14 May, 1912, August Strindberg died aged 63. Strindberg dared to challenge everything and everyone. Throughout his life he was controversial, provocative and never shied away from conflict. He has influenced the culture of today in many ways, and now, a hundred years after his death, he’s more alive than ever.

Throughout 2012, Strindberg is being celebrated, both in Sweden and abroad. This year’s theme ‘Strindbergland’ follows hot on the heels of previous years’ themes focusing on our neighbours Finland, Denmark and Norway. Here’s a selection of events from our Strindberg programme.

Strindberg 2012 is a collaboration between The Swedish Arts Council, the City of Stockholm via Stockholms Stadsteater and the Swedish Institute.

Wander around the festival zone and discover more! Here’s a few hints.

Min älskling (My darling)
Artist Maja Spasova has fallen in love with a very special place in Stockholm – Centralbron and its jungle of columns. Throughout the week, you can float around und the bridge in small rowing boats, from Tegelbackskajen to Riddarholmskajen and back. It’s a slow, mediative, fun boat trip in the name of love and myth. The sounds you will hear are human voices that speak/call/whisper words of love.

Culture Festival + Catalonia
Barcelona, Catalonia – a city, a culture that since the 1980s has been an emblem for a colourful mix of popularism, modernity and tradition. Festivals, football, street theatre, music, rumba rock Catalán, La Rambla, Gaudi, Art Nouveau, many of us are attracted to the intensity and beauty of Catalonian culture. This year, Stockholm Culture Festival takes a little look at what’s happening in street art, theatre and music. Perhaps in a few years it will be an even bigger thing… who knows? 

Tips: GAT: Barcelona-based Argentinians Voala (Tuesday 14/8 & Wednesday 15/8). Plattan: street acts Fadunito, Leandre och Rodafonio (image). Brunkeberg: Muchachito Bombo Infierno (Friday 17/8). Dansmuseet: El Guia – performance in a museum space with audio guides (Friday 17/8 & Saturday 18/8).

Raoul Wallenberg
Raoul Wallenberg is a businessman and diplomat who saved hundreds of Hungarian Jews from Nazi concentration camps during the final phase of the Second World War. He was born 100 years ago, and in 2012, he is being celebrated throughout the world, including the Culture Festival. Programme highlights during the week:

The monument outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be unveiled on Gustav Adolfs Torg (Thursday 16/8), Wallenberg Walk (Wednesday 15/8), musical drama “Det kunde varit du”, St Jacob’s Church (Wednesday 15/8 & Thursday 16/8).

The World’s Longest Book Stall – Sunday 19/8
Book lovers can get their fill among more than 500 stalls lined up in double rows along Drottninggatan and in the garden of Centralbadet swimming pool. This year, the theme is sport, in celebration of the Stockholm Olympics 1912.

Ung08 is Europes largest youth festival, for anyone and everyone between 13–19 years old. It's located in Kungsträdgården in the Fesival's area. The following acts are just some of the content during the week. Please visit www.ung08.se for more information!

Today, most of us are more than well aware of how critical the environment is. In the event business there is an increased awareness that has resulted in the new ISO standard: Sustainable Event Management ISO20121 launched this year. It has been created to help the event business to work with the environment in mind. Stockholm's Culture Festival is a pilot project, like several city festivals. Here are some samples of events, with focus on the environment in Stockholm's Culture Festival this year.

Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg made a unique contribution in the second half of 1944 by saving tens of thousands of Jews in Budapest from the Holocaust. His actions show that one persons courage and ability can make a difference. His actions are a model for us, not least at a time when more people need to stand up against persecution, xenophobia and anti-Semitism.

Raoul Wallenberg was captured by the Soviet Union and taken to the notorious Ljubljanka prison in Moscow. No one knows for sure what happened next, and the Swedish Government is still demanding an explanation. Raoul Wallenberg fought against one of the terror dictatorships of his time, and was killed by the other.