Nordic Culture Point's new director, Bergljot Jonsdottir, has immense administrative experience and artistic insight. The 53-year-old Icelander brings with her to the post 10 years of experience from Bergen, not to mention the extensive networks she has built up during her time as an international art and cultural advisor.

"I look forward to building up Culture Point as a strong platform for Nordic cultural co-operation. Structural reforms to co-operation mean major changes for artists, and Nordic Culture Point will, therefore, play a tangible and important role in the development of the best of Nordic art and culture - both in the Nordic Region and internationally," says Jonsdottir.

Nordic Culture Point will be responsible for processing applications, and for providing information and advice to all those involved in culture in the Nordic countries and autonomous territories. Its Secretariat will also service the Nordic culture ministries' framework programmes.

The Nordic ministers of culture have drawn up two such programmes, the Mobility and Residence Programme and the Art and Culture Programme. The panels of experts will decide on the content of the programmes, while Nordic Culture Point will take care of administration and implementation, supporting the experts in their work and following up on their decisions.

"With the Nordic programmes, the culture ministers have made it easier to generate new dialogue and new forms of partnership between artists and institutions, both inside and outside the Nordic Region. In this way, Nordic idioms and new intercultural relationships will provide brand new and fertile soil for artistic growth. As head of Nordic Culture Point, I look forward to helping to run the new programmes," the new Director says.

Bergljot Jonsdottir has a wide background in music and art communications, having worked for Arts Council Norway and the Nordic music information centres. She has international academic credentials, including a Masters degree from the University of Illinois and qualifications in Cultural Management from Brussels.

For further information, please contact:

Bergljot Jonsdottir, tel.: +358 (0)9 686 43 103
Hanne Esmann, Chairperson of the Board, Nordic Culture Point, tel.: +45 4018 7377 (out of office, March 29 – April 16 2007)
Veikko Kunnas, Regular Board Member, Nordic Culture Point, tel: +358 408674454
Tore Aas-Hanssen, Head of Department, Nordic Council of Ministers, tel.: +45 33 96 03 70

See also www.norden.org and www.kulturkontaktnord.org

Nordic Culture Point is the new contact point for Nordic cultural co-operation. The institution was established in 2007 at Sveaborg in Helsinki and is a Nordic Council of Ministers' organisation.