New director for Nordic Institute in Åland

The Nordic Institute in Åland has a new director, who will be responsible for bringing Nordic culture to Åland and Ålandic culture to the wider Nordic Region. The institution supports, stimulates, and contributes to the development of Åland’s cultural landscape, such as by way of programme activities and collaboration with stakeholders in Åland and beyond.  

“I’m looking forward to being able to contribute to Nordic co-operation for the benefit of Åland’s art and culture practitioners and its cultural landscape. Art and culture, together with sustainable development, are a concern for each and every one of us. By giving children and young people the opportunity to explore new worlds, we pave the way for new encounters and enable us all grow as people, both intellectually and emotionally. Together with my colleagues, our clients, and all our exciting cultural stakeholders, I want to continue to develop NIPÅ’s activities and Nordic co-operation more widely,” says Tasso.

For many years, Tasso has worked with cultural exchange within both the Nordic and international cultural spheres. He has also been part of the collaboration between the pride festivals in the Nordics and Europe. Tasso is an expert in cultural policy, with a focus on new target groups and inclusion. He is also an expert in inclusion and diversity issues with a focus on LGBTQI, having trained and offered certification to others in these issues for many years.

The Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers, Karen Ellemann, is eager to see this combination of professional knowledge and experience benefit both Åland and the rest of the Nordic Region.

“I’m delighted to have Tasso on board as the new director of NIPÅ in Åland. With his background in the field of art and culture and experience from pride festivals, he has a wealth of knowledge in the important issues that we work with. I wish him a warm welcome,” says Ellemann.

Tasso joins NIPÅ from West Pride in Gothenburg, where he has also been head of the Gothenburg Culture Festival for eight years, as well as both an art and culture strategist and social sustainability strategist at the City of Gothenburg’s destination and event company Göteborg & Co. He has a background as an actor and theatre manager and has been active in the Swedish cultural industry for 35 years. He takes over as director of NIPÅ from Greenland’s Kim Larsen.