As one of Denmark’s leading non-profit art institutions focusing on emerging practices, O—Overgaden mounts an irreverent program of new local and international voices in contemporary art via around eight yearly grand-scale exhibitions and a breadth of concerts, parlors, performances, and film screenings—all with free admission to its spacious location in the heart of Copenhagen, on Christianshavn’s canal.

The majority of O—Overgaden’s program is based on its renowned Open Call, typically paving a way for young or yet unknown artists into the professional art world. O—Overgaden has, since its founding in a former printing workshop in 1986, been an irreplaceable steppingstone for an array of artists—including Olafur Eliasson, Kirsten Justesen, Michael Elmgreen, Pia Arke, Adam Christensen, Lea Porsager, and Marie Lund—and the interest is only growing. O—Overgaden’s most recent Open Call attracted more than 660 artists’ applications.

For almost 40 years, O—Overgaden—as one of the few established art institutions in Denmark focused on young artists—has been dedicated to providing artists from all regions the possibility to experiment, develop, and unfold their ideas and practice on a grand scale, producing what, for most, would be the first grand-scale institutional solo show.

O—Overgaden is an independent institution whose principal supporter is the Danish Arts Foundation. O—Overgaden’s board consists of Mikkel Bogh (chair), director of The National Gallery of Denmark; Ebbe Stub Wittrup, artist; Matias Møl Dalsgaard, CEO, GoMore; Helle Brøns, Curator, Sorø Art Museum; and Ieben Christiensen, lawyer, M/S2 Holden Aps.

O—Overgaden’s Bylaws as well as our Annual Reports from the previous years are available for download here: Bylaws and Annual Reports 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017.

Jane Balsgaard, Doris Bloom, Jørn Rønnau, Lillian Polack, Finn Naur Petersen, Jytte Augustesen, Anita Jørgensen, Vibeke Glarbo, Lone Høyer Hansen, Marianne Hesselbjerg, Allan Stabell, Mikael Thejll, Kerstin Bergendal, Ursula Reuter Christiansen, Elle Klarskov Jørgensen, Jørgen Michaelsen, Kaj Nyborg, Mette Gitz-Johansen, Peter Holst Henckel, Camilla Nørgaard, Jacob Lillemose, Katya Sander, Henrik Plenge Jacobsen, Søren Krogh, Jytte Høy, Charlotte Bagger Brandt, Kristoffer Ørum, Gudrun Hasle, Morten Lundholm, Nils Erik Gjerdevik, Mikkel Carl, Cecilia Widenheim, Charlotte Sahl-Madsen, Caroline Ahlefeldt-Laurvig-Bille, Gitte Ørskou, Mette Winckelmann, Jens Lund Mosbek, Jane Jin Kaisen

In 2022–23 the individual exhibitions at O—Overgaden received support from Goethe-Institut Denmark, NEUSTARTplus-Stipendium der Stiftung Kunstfonds / NEUSTART KULTUR der BKM, Danish Arts Foundation, Arne V. Schlesch’s Foundation, Gottfred and Gerda Eickhoff’s Foundation, Rådet for visuel kunst, City of Copenhagen, Minister Erna Hamilton’s Grant, Lemvigh-Müller Foundation, Hielmstierne-Rosencroneske Foundation, Nordic Culture Fund, Novo Nordisk Foundation, PKU – Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills, Knud Højgaard’s Foundation, Øens Murerfirma A/S, William Demant Fonden, Overretssagfører L. Zeuthens Mindelegat, Bestles Fond, Danish Art Workshops, Danmarks Nationalbanks Jubilæumsfond af 1968 (Danmarks Nationalbank’s Anniversary Foundation of 1968), Hoffmann og Husmans Fond, Det Obelske Familiefond, The Danish Composers’ Society, City of Aarhus, and 15. Juni Fonden.

This website is made with support from the New Carlsberg Foundation.