Volunteers working hard

Thanks to thousands of volunteers and municipal support for cultural activities and events, the cultural scene in the Municipality of Skanderborg is not just the talk of the town, but talked about all over the country. One of the secrets behind the multifaceted cultural scene is the long-standing tradition of involving volunteers. Volunteers who are driven by commitment and a will and desire to bring ideas and activities to life.

The Skanderborg Festival and Sølund Music Festival are excellent examples of how something really big can be organised by thousands of volunteers giving a hand. Also, Kulturhuset in Skanderborg, which opened in 1998, is a unique example of how a cultural centre – with more than 300,000 visitors and approx. 175 events a year – can be run as a highly professional venue based on volunteers.

The society behind Kulturhuset receives some funding from the Municipality of Skanderborg. Other income comes from the letting of facilities for, e.g., concerts, theatre performances and talks in addition to membership fees and sponsorships.

The daily running of the centre is managed by an elected executive committee, while more than 200 volunteers handle all the practicalities in connection with the Park Bio cinema and many other events in the much used building, events which range from major international music and ballet performances to smaller events.

 The organisation behind the cultural centre and the way in which it is run is so unusual that a steady stream of politicians, residents’ associations and art groups come from all over Denmark to learn more about it. Even the Danish Cultural Institute in Brussels has visited Skanderborg several times.

A source of inspiration

The special spirit which characterises the volunteers involved in Skanderborg’s cultural scene is a tremendous source of inspiration. Volunteers attract more volunteers, and unlike many other municipalities, Skanderborg has no problems

finding citizens who would like to lend a helping hand. Sometimes, there is even a waiting list for volunteers who want to assist with a particular event.

The overwhelming interest reflects the variety and diversity, and a large number of societies ensure that cultural events of all kinds are organised – not only in Skanderborg, but throughout the municipality.

For example, a wealth of events and activities, including talks, song evenings and revues, are held at the many community halls, while the parish councils organise concerts of a very high quality in many churches. Ry has its harbour concerts, and open-air meetings and other events are held every year at Ejer Bavnehøj and Himmelbjerget. In the western corner of the municipality, talks, concerts and exhibitions are held at the small Lysthuset in Veng.

BIO Huset in Galten supplements its cinematic activities with music events, debates and children’s theatre. In addition to their traditional function, the libraries also organise children’s theatre and exhibitions, while the music schools hold concerts and matinées. The Municipality of Skanderborg also boasts a large number of choirs which give concerts individually and together. The visual arts are also richly represented by both amateurs and professional artists. In Hørning, local artists have formed the art group “Grylen”, and in Skanderborg “8660-Gruppen”.