Gjertrud Steinsvåg and ROM receive Oslo Open's Honorary Award

Oslo Open’s honorary award goes to Gjertrud Steinsvåg and ROM for art and architecture for their strategic and long-term work with accessibility and inclusion. The board presented the award during Oslo Open’s anniversary celebration at Kunstnernes Hus on April 25, 2025.

April 25 2025

A medium shot shows a group of six people gathered around a table covered with papers and models. The focus is on a woman with shoulder-length brown hair and glasses, wearing a blue patterned top, who is gesturing with both hands as she speaks and smiles. She is seated behind the table, slightly to the left of the center. To her right, a young man with red hair is also seated at the table, looking towards the woman with a neutral expression. He is wearing a dark blue zip-up hoodie over a white t-shirt and has a tablet resting on the table in front of him. A blue paper cup with a white lid sits near his hands.

Behind the woman in the blue top, another woman with blue hair and a black shirt stands, looking towards the right side of the frame. Further back, two more women are partially visible, standing and looking towards the table. To the left of the woman in the blue top, a woman with dark hair and a patterned shirt is visible from the shoulders up, looking towards the speaker. A black backpack rests on a chair to the left of the frame.

The table is covered with a dark cloth and holds various papers with drawings and diagrams, as well as small architectural models made of light-colored materials. The background shows a brightly lit room with white walls, pillars, and a glimpse of a window on the far left. The overall atmosphere suggests a workshop or presentation setting. — ROM created the first summer school within art, design and architecture for young people with disabilities. Photo: Frank Holtschlag

An organization that has made its mark over time

The board has chosen to honour ROM with this year’s award for their long-term, strategic, and holistic work with accessibility and inclusion within art and architecture. Over time, the organization has established itself as an important actor that not only highlights challenges related to disabling barriers, but also actively contributes to creating change through concrete measures, and creates space for artists, architects, and designers with varying abilities.

“ROM has made accessibility and equality fundamental pillars of their work – both in terms of audience, employees, and artists. Their work is characterized by a thorough understanding that inclusion must happen at all levels of the organization,” says the chair of Oslo Open, Katinka Maraz.

Norway’s first summer school for young people with disabilities

In its justification, the board particularly emphasizes the establishment of Norway’s first summer school in art, design, and architecture for young people with disabilities as an important highlight in ROM’s work with accessibility in recent years. The summer school is an initiative that not only opens doors to the art and architecture field for new voices but also challenges existing structures and norms.

A close-up portrait shows a woman, identified as Gjertrud Steinsvåg, smiling warmly at the camera. She has light brown, wavy hair that falls to her shoulders, and her eyes are light-colored. She is wearing a black top underneath a black blazer. Small gold hoop earrings are visible in her ears. Her lips are painted with a vibrant pink lipstick. The background is a solid, muted green color. The lighting is soft and even, highlighting her features and creating a professional yet approachable image. — Gjertrud Steinsvåg. Photo: Foto: Carsten Aniksdal

“I’m sorry if my disability causes you any inconvenience”

The board also mentions the exhibition by the artist duo FAT, which was shown at ROM in 2024 and was titled “I’m sorry if my disability causes you any inconvenience,” as a particularly important exhibition. Here, FAT (Anja Tveiterås and Fredrik Alden Thorsen) addressed the exclusion that the architecture of public spaces can create for people with disabilities. The board believes the exhibition stood out by not only showing final artistic results but also ideas and processes for what and how one can change physical conditions in an inaccessible building.

“With its unique position at the intersection of art and architecture, ROM has a particularly powerful impact. Through their targeted efforts, they challenge the field’s established practices and show how accessibility can and should be integrated at all levels – as a natural and necessary part of both art, design, and architecture,” says Maraz.

About Oslo Open’s Honorary Award

The award is intended to honour and pay tribute to those who make an effort for artists’ working conditions – for studios, production, and working terms. It can be a person, group, or organization. The award is granted freely by the board and was presented for the first time in 2019.

In 2024, the honorary award went to Fellesverkstedet (The Common Workshop), an artist-run space with workshop facilities and experienced supervisors who assist both artists and others in everything from wood, metal, and screen printing to 3D printing, for their massive contribution to making the artistic profession easier. In 2023, the award went to Verdensrommet (The Universe), a network for artists from outside the EEA area, for the work they do to help artists establish themselves in Norway and their efforts for the rights of international artists.