Oslo Kunstforening, Oslo

Oslo Kunstforening stands as Norway's oldest art gallery, located within one of the Kvadraturen area's most ancient houses. Throughout the year, the gallery hosts a diverse array of exhibitions encompassing drawing, painting, photography, lithography, textile, collage, and sculpture. A fresh exhibition graces its halls each month, showcasing the realm of Contemporary Art.

At the core of Oslo Kunstforening's mission lies the steadfast commitment to nurturing emerging Norwegian artists and introducing international talents previously unseen in Norway. This endeavor spans an impressive 180-year history. Above all, Oslo Kunstforening seeks to disseminate knowledge about contemporary art, fostering its appreciation and making it more accessible throughout society.

The gallery's inception dates back to 1836 when it was founded as Christiania Kunstforening by Norwegian cultural luminaries including Johan Sebastian Welhaven, Johan Fjeldsted Dahl, Frederik Stang, and Henrik Heftye. Drawing inspiration from the Kunstvereine model prevalent in numerous German-speaking cities such as Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden and Kunsthalle Düsseldorf, the gallery was designed as a venue for temporary art exhibitions. Notably, the National Gallery of Norway had not yet been established, making the art society a crucial haven for public art exhibitions in the capital.

Oslo Kunstforening enjoys support from the City of Oslo and the Arts Council of Norway. Since 1986, the gallery has been honored with an artist grant thanks to the generous backing of Sparebanken Oslo and Akershus. Furthermore, since 2008, the Savings Bank Foundation DNB has collaborated with OK to bestow an annual grant upon emerging artists, furthering the gallery's dedication to fostering new creative talents.