Artival
Sep 24-Oct 1; various venues & times; free adm; immigrant-art.com

This new arts festival celebrates the diversity of immigrant artists living and working in Denmark today.

Organised by the aptly-named Immigrant Art, the final week of September will contain art and photography exhibitions – some of which will continue into October and beyond – film screenings, music performances and poetry readings.

The main aim in its opening year is to raise the public’s awareness of these artists’ presence and the varying journeys that have brought them to Denmark from the likes of Syria – whether by choice or need. Both public spaces and artistic spaces will be used, and everyone is welcome – most especially “people from the street”.

“It is sometimes difficult for artists with a non-Danish ethnic background to get the breakthrough they need, which is why there is a need for a network specifically for foreign artists,” explains Immigrant Art founder Nicol Foulkes Savinetti.

“If Immigrant Art can showcase the participating artists well and, not least, advance the intra-action between Danes and foreigners, we will have achieved our goal with Artival.”

Among the highlights are Saif Aldeen Tahhan’s photo exhibition Syria Go and Think of Syrian Children depicting scenes of destruction in Syria (Sep 24-Oct 26; Kulturstationen Vanløse); the unveiling of a collage assembled by refugee children at Welcome House (Sep 25, 12:00; Venligbohus, Beboerhus, Onkel Dannys Plads 1, Cph V); an evening of music and verse co-hosted by poets from Syria, Denmark and Iran (Sep 29, 20:00; Vor Frue Kirke, Nørregade 8, Cph K); and a jam session with Syrian guitarist Nour Amora (Oct 1, 16:00; Café Mandela, Halmtorvet, Cph V).