Black Box teater was founded in 1985. It is one of the programming theaters in Norway, co-producing and presenting international and Norwegian contemporary performing art.
With a history of more than 30 years, Black Box teater has transformed to become what it is now: a theater with a strong artistic identity, dedicated to contemporary and experimental forms of performing art, programming Norwegian and international companies, emerging and established artists.
The program is characterized by a combination of artists who have a long relationship with Black Box teater and newcomers from Norway and elsewhere.
We are a theater that is attentive to experimentation and to transformation of performing arts today. Our program crosses disciplines, pays attention to multifaceted artists, and proposes connections with visual arts, music and literature, among others. In order to encourage spectatorship from an early age and generations, the program includes shows for kids/youth and families.
Black Box teater’s program is articulated through 2 seasons (fall season and spring season) as well as a festival, Oslo Internasjonale Teaterfestival, taking place every year in March.
Black Box teater is in dialogue with the city. Beyond the box, how can art enter our daily lives and generate forms of poetic relationships with our environment? We invite artists and projects that are incorporating Oslo as a field of exploration by working with the urban landscape, exploring our individual and collective memory, and involving the inhabitants. Part of the program takes place in cooperation with local, national and international partners.
Black Box teater's signature is also its atmosphere: a joyful place with a generous and dedicated team and a curious audience, and a place where we hope the artists feel confident to create and perform.
Welcome!
Partners and network
Black Box teater is supported by the Norwegian Ministry of Culture and the City of Oslo.
Black Box teater collaborates actively locally, nationally and internationally with the following venues, festivals and organizations:
In Oslo
Arts & cultural institutions: Dansens Hus, Vega Scene, the Norwegian Theater, Kunstnernes Hus, Kunsthall Oslo, Intercultural Museum, Atelier Nord, Ekebergparken, Ultima Oslo Contemporary Music Festival, CODA Oslo International Dance Festival, Oslo Architecture Triennale, Oslobiennalen among others.
Educational institutions: Oslo National Academy of the Arts, Høyskolen for Dansekunst, Norwegian Academy of Music among others.
Other partners: Bydel Gamle Oslo, Kulturbydelen Sagene among others.
In Norway
Rosendal Teater (Trondheim), BIT Teatergarasjen (Bergen), RIMI/IMIR Stavanger, Akademi for scenekunst (Fredrikstad), Goethe Institut, Institut français de Norvège among others. We recommend you to have a look at the programs of the two other programming theaters in Norway; Rosendal Teater (Trondheim) and BIT Teatergarasjen (Bergen).
Internationally
Black Box teater has been part of the informal international network WEB since 2017/2018. WEB supports two emerging artists each year in order to encourage their international development.
The network is composed of:
wpZimmer (Antwerp), Beursschouwburg (Brussels), Frascati (Amsterdam), Uzès Danse (Uzès), Gessnerallee (Zürich), Tanzquartier (Wien), Les Subsistances (Lyon) and Black Box teater (Oslo).
Black Box teater is a member of IETM – International Network for Contemporary Performing Arts.
Black Box teater is part of Dramatic Episodes – a workshop series taking place from 2019 to 2021, focusing on the future role of theatre in civil society. Together with LIFT (London's international biennial festival of theatre), the Goethe-Institut London has invited twelve theater and festival directors from nine countries across four continents to reflect on the role of theatre in a rapidly changing world and to engage with pressing issues such as migration, solidarity in society, climate change, sustainability and protection of resources.
Annual reports
Our annual reports present an overview of the activities which have found place at or been initiated by Black Box teater.
Annual report 2022 (PDF)
Annual report 2021 (PDF)
Annual report 2020 (PDF)
Annual report 2019 (PDF)
Annual report 2018 (PDF)
Annual report 2017 (PDF)
Annual report 2016 (PDF)
Annual report 2015 (PDF)