In the city

It’s possible to navigate the city centre of Bodø city as a wheelchair user and for people with visual impairments. In Lofoten, it is more difficult to navigate in as a wheelchair user and for people with visual impairments.

Several crossings in Bodø are equipped with acoustic traffic lights and there are tactile pavings in the city. In Stamsund in Lofoten there are no crossings with acoustic traffic lights and no tactile pavings. Some of the roads in Stamsund do not have a sidewalk, but there isn’t a lot of traffic.

Moreover, most buildings and public transport vehicles are wheelchair accessible in Bodø, but in Lofoten most buildings are not wheelchair accessible.  Sidewalks are high and not always equipped with ramps in Lofoten. 

To know more about accessibility for the IETM Caravan Lofoten, please go to: meeting venues, accommodation, restaurants. 

At the meeting

It is our aim to make the IETM Caravan Lofoten as accessible as possible. However, it may not always be possible to offer all access requirements at every location. We therefore recommend that you check the location of your interest beforehand. 

The accessibility of each venue will be uploaded upon confirmation of the full programme. 

All accessibility details are collected based on the information received from the venues' staff and their websites. If you need more information, please feel free to get in touch with the venues directly.

There will be a range of accessibility features available at the meeting.

As we have budget restrictions and are dependent on the local infrastructure, we cannot always guarantee that the conditions will be the same from one meeting to another. 

Nevertheless, for this meeting we are able to:

• Offer preferential rates for disabled participants;
• Offer a free registration for your support worker;
• Offer our assistance before the meeting in order to answer your questions and to make accommodations to your access needs;
• Send you a large print version of the programme;
• All the performances are in English or nonverbal.
• Provide speech-to-text captions for all panel discussions of the meeting. Details of these services will be available online upon confirmation of the full programme.

If you have any accessibility questions or requests, please get in touch with us by writing to ietm@ietm.org.

Bodø is the second biggest city in Northern Norway with around 50.000 inhabitants. Humans have been living in Bodø for over 10.000 years, but all old buildings were bombed during WWII. Therefore, all the buildings are relatively new and many new buildings have emerged in the last few years. For instance, the concert hall and the library which opened in 2016. 

In Lofoten and Stamsund, fishing is the biggest industry alongside theatre. In the 1990s, a lot of the fishing industry collapsed and the theatre moved in. There are around 1000 people in Stamsund. 

Both Bodø and Lofoten are a part of Sapmi. Historically, they spoke North Sapmi in Lofoten and Lulesapmi in Bodø. Nature is considered to be the biggest tourist attraction both in Bodø and Lofoten, with the aurora borealis clearly visible when it is dark and the midnight sun in the summer. 

There aren’t any theatres in Bodø, but Bodø got its first black box in 2021 and now has two independent theatre groups. Stamsund has three theatres and one theatre festival: Nordland visual Theatre, Teater NOR and Eilerstens & Granados Theatre.

Venues

Stamsund Teaterfestival/ Teater NOR:

Address: J. M. Johansens Vei 97, 8340 Stamsund

Stamsund Theater Festival is a curated, international contemporary performing arts festival located in the fishing village of Stamsund in Lofoten in Northern Norway.

The festival takes place at the end of May each year and offers artistic experience, professional reflection and a party in the fishing village.

At Stamsund Teaterfestival/Teater NOR, we will be using the following spaces:

• Teater NOR small
• Entrance Teater NOR small

Accessibility: It is possible to enter the Teater NOR small with a wheelchair, but there are no accessible toilets and there is one step down to enter the toilets.

Nordland Visual Theatre

Address: J. M. Johansensvei 23, 8340 Stamsund

Nordland Visual Theatre (Figurteateret i Nordland) is a project-oriented theatre. The theatre was established in 1991 and has a permanent staff of six employees, but no ensemble of performers. Each year, they co-produce five to six performances with professional theatre artists/troupes from both Norway and abroad. They also offer research and development residencies, workshops, masterclasses and seminars.

At Nordland Visual Theatre, we will be using the following spaces:

• Entrance hall
• The black box
• The small black box/production room

Accessibility: The theatre is partly accessible. In the premises we will be using, it is possible to access it with a wheelchair and there is an accessible toilet. There are no stairs at the front door and there is a gentle ramp to the black box. The rest of the theatre is not accessible as you have to walk upstairs to reach the offices, sewing room and workshops.

Eilertsen & Granados Theatre Company

Address: J. M. Johansensvei 109, 8340 Stamsund

Eilertsen & Granados Theater Company was established in 2006 in Stamsund in the Lofoten Islands by Cristina Granados and Andreas Eilertsen, both creators and cultural managers. The company is based in a strong performing arts community and it has created several projects that have contributed to strengthening the field in this area. They are currently leading a European project supported by the Creative Europe Programme called Moving Matters. Since 2009, they have run their company from their own space, the old cinema in Stamsund.

At Eilertsen & Granados Theatre, we will be using the following spaces:

• Entrance hall
• The black box

Accessibility: The theatre is not accessible - there is a stair to the entrance of the theatre, but there are movable ramps for wheelchair users to access the theatre. There are no accessible toilets and there is a step down to the toilet.

Click here for a map of all venues, restaurants and hotels.

Don’t forget to bring your passport when travelling to Bodø and Lofoten and to check with your bank and phone service provider regarding any extra fees.

IETM is a strong advocate for encouraging low environmental impact travel, and we therefore encourage you to travel by land if you are able to.

By train

Train travel is a rewarding way to travel as it reduces your contribution to climate change and brings you closer to the country you visit. On your journey you can relax, read a book, take a nap or dive into the programme for IETM Lofoten.

However, travel by train to Bodø takes time - from Oslo only to Bodø is 18 hours. Bodø train station is the main railway station and you can view its location here. If you travel by land, train is the best option to travel. You can purchase your train tickets through this website.

By bus

Bus travel is possible to Bodø if you travel from further north in Norway. If you come from the south you will have to take the train. Nonetheless, you can purchase bus tickets through this website.

By boat or ferry

When you are travelling to the IETM Caravan Lofoten, there isn’t a direct ferry or boat option unless you go by cruise. If so, you can travel with Hurtigruten from Bergen. 

There are a couple of ferry connections from Lofoten to Bodø. One is Hurtigruten, where you can travel from Stamsund to Bodø. You can also take the ferry from Moskenes to Bodø (approx 1.5hr drive from Stamsund). There is also an express boat from Svolvær that goes to Bodø and it’s a 1.10hr drive from Stamsund to Svolvær.

Car pooling

If you choose to drive to Bodø, don’t forget to ask other participants if they want to share a ride by posting on our Forum. 

Public parking in Bodø is managed by the company Easy Park. You can download an app on your phone to pay for parking here. The price varies depending on where you park. 

By air

Bodø

Taking the plane is the quickest way to travel to Bodø, with direct flights from Oslo Airport and other domestic airports. Bodø Airport is also occasionally connected internationally through charter flights. 

• Bodø Airport

Bodø airport is located 2.5km away from Smart Hotel and the city centre. You can view the airport’s location here. 

The 1 and 2 buses will take you from Bodø Airport to the centre of Bodø for €5. You can also take a taxi from Bodø Airport to the centre for around €20. It is a 15-minute walk from the airport to the city centre and a 25-minute walk to Smart hotel. 

Lofoten

There are more than two airports in Lofoten - the one nearest to Stamsund is Leknes Airport and the next one is Svolvær Airport. Other options are a flight from Evenes Airport, after which you will have to take a five hour bus trip from Leknes to get there, which can be cheaper. It is possible to take a boat/ferry back to Bodø and a flight or train from Bodø.

Getting Around

By foot

In Bodø and Lofoten, most places are within walking distance. 

By bike

Although some bike lanes have been incorporated in a few streets in Bodø,  the city is not a suitable city for bikes as there are obstacles in the traffic, as well as traffic. In Lofoten there are no bike lanes but not a lot of traffic.

Public transport

Nordland County is the public transport company in Bodø and Lofoten. One bus ticket within Bodø costs €5 and shall be paid in the app Reis. 

Accessibility: For safety reasons, there is a maximum size and weight for wheelchairs that can be taken on the bus. Size and weight are following the electric wheelchairs most commonly used today. As a wheelchair user, you are responsible for staying within the limits. The length of the wheelchair cannot exceed 1,300mm and the width cannot exceed 750mm. The total weight including the user must not exceed 300 kg. City buses are accessible for wheelchair users with the weight limit being currently 250 kg. Buses used by Nordland County Council are designed according to requirements in regulations on universal design and the underlying bus directive.

Taxi

Taxis are commonly used to get around the city. You can download the app Taxifix to find a taxi for you. 

Accessibility: There are taxis for wheelchair users, but it is important to state your needs when ordering a taxi. It might take some time and is best to order them beforehand.

Lunch and dinners will be covered and served in between activities. All meals will be locally sourced and vegetarian. Please make sure to communicate any allergies or dietary requirements beforehand via your IETM profile.

All nationals of EU / EEA member states can enter Norway and travel the whole Schengen Area without a visa. Still, there are some categories of third-country nationals who need to obtain a visa prior to their trip to Norway. Find out more about VISA requirements here.

Upon arrival, please make sure that you have a proof of hotel reservation or a letter indicating you are being hosted by a friend or family member.

If you need an invitation letter to apply for a visa, please register for the meeting first and then contact anita@davvi.org with your passport and legal address details. 

Emergency numbers

Fire fighting: 110

Police: 112

Ambulance: 113

Doctor: 116117

For all emergency numbers, state at the outset your location and the location of the person in danger. 

The Norwegian currency is called kroner (currency code NOK). Almost all establishments now accept electronic payment by card. As of December 2023, 1 NOK = 0.085098 EUR.

Environmental consciousness at the meeting

In addition to the precautions we take to make the impact of the Caravan on the environment as low as possible, we ask you to also contribute by following these tips:

• Switch off your computer and your smartphone when they are not in use.
• Connect to the venue’s public Wi-Fi instead of your 3G/4G data if possible.
• Avoid disposable tableware whenever possible and bring your own tote bag to shops and grocery stores.
• Sort your waste according to the instructions at the Caravan venues and throughout the city if possible. 
• Bring your own water bottle and reusable coffee mug to spare the environment the plastic and yourself the money.
• Refill your bottle. Tap water in Lofoten is completely safe to drink. We recommend that you fill up your water bottle in the morning at your hotel, and do refills during the day. You can do so in the bathroom at the meeting venues.