The Aspøya district, central to Ålesund’s waterfront, faces complex challenges such as high concentration of municipal housing and low-income families. In an nationwide living conditions survey for neighborhoods, Aspøya was ranked all the way down to the 1082nd place out of 1106 neighborhoods. This requires targeted efforts to improve the conditions for growing up and equalise social differences. Local youth repeatedly say the same thing: there is nowhere affordable to meet, create, or simply be.
Instead of proposing top-down solutions, Teatret Vårt started to listen. The company is currently interviewing young people in the neighbourhood and inviting them into the pink old building to co-create a performance that reflects the buildings old use and the youths dreams, thoughts and lived realities. The guiding questions are deeply connected to Re-Value’s mission: How do we care for older buildings in our cities? How can neglected spaces be given new life? How do young people use the city today — and what is missing?
Parts of the project “Our Town” will be shown at the Re-Value Final Forum taking place in Bruges on 18 November 2026, but the process is already making an impact in Ålesund. Two actresses, who grew up locally, are joined by a director and playwright from outside the city — bringing fresh eyes to ask questions locals may take for granted. The result is a performance that doesn’t just speak about youth, but amplifies their voices directly to politicians, stakeholders, and adults.
This is not only theatre. It is a concrete example of how inclusive and nature‑inspired cultural strategies can reshape urban planning. By re‑imagining the use of an old building at the waterfront, Teatret Vårt demonstrates that resilient cities start with listening to those who will inherit them.
The team will continue the dialogue with the local community through spring 2026 and, in parallel, conduct research on the port city of Ålesund’s historical role in Norway’s nation-building. Why are things the way they are today in urban development? By looking back at what happened in the past — how decisions were made, who benefited, and who was left out — we can understand the inequalities and spatial challenges that persist now. Insights will feed directly into the play’s script. It is important that we look at what happened in the past to know where we want to be in the future.
Follow Teatret Vårt for engagement opportunities or to attend their performances.
About Teatret Vårt
Teatret Vårt is the regional theatre in the county Møre and Romsdal. The theatre has its own department for children and youth at Arbeideren Culture House in Ålesund, Norway. The theatre tours the whole county with their theatre productions and is recognised for the strong work for the target group children and youth. The theatre creates site‑specific and community‑engaged productions. Strandgata 15, the iconic pink building on Aspøya’s waterfront, serves as both inspiration and symbol for their work on urban belonging and youth participation.
Publishing date: 8 May 2026
Youth voices reclaim Ålesund’s waterfront: a new play for change
