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. Today, O—Overgaden’s Open Call typically attracts between 500 and 600 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 with a board consisting of three visual artists, two members with other art professional backgrounds, and two members with special economic, legal, or business expertise. Board members are elected for five years at a time and appointed continuously. The board prepares proposals for new artist and arts professional board members. The proposals must be approved by Akademirådet (the Academy Council) and the rectors of respectively The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, the Funen Art Academy, and the Jutland Art Academy. Board members with fiscal, legal, or business profiles are appointed by the board itself. Board members are appointed to reflect O—Overgaden’s stated purpose and to form a broad representation in terms of artistic standpoint, age group, and form of practice.

O—Overgaden’s board currently consists of Sanne Kofod Olsen, chair (January 2024 – December 2028), Vice-Chancellor at the Royal Institute of Art in Stockholm; Rasmus Myrup (April 2023 – March 2028), visual artist; Lea Porsager (April 2023 – March 2028), visual artist; Jeannette Ehlers (December 2024 – November 2029), visual artist; Rolf Hay (May 2025 – April 2030), CEO & Founder, HAY; Helle Brøns (August 2020 – July 2025), curator, Sorø Art Museum; and Ieben Christensen (April 2022 – March 2027), 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: 2024, 2023, 2022, 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, Ruth Campau, Mikkel Bogh, Ebbe Stub Wittrup.

O—Overgaden is an independent institution whose principal supporter is the Danish Arts Foundation. O—Overgaden’s current framework agreement with the Danish Arts Foundation regarding its support runs from 2024 to 2027.

O—Overgaden’s overall activities are further generously supported by the A.P. Møller Foundation, Aage and Johanne Louis-Hansen’s Foundation, Beckett-Fonden, the Augustinus Foundation, the New Carlsberg Foundation, and The Obel Family Foundation.

Supported by:

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.