Luleå University of Technology Establishes New Artistic Department

At a time when the arts are often described as being deprioritized in Sweden, Luleå University of Technology is choosing to highlight their importance. The university is now establishing a new artistic department to strengthen its artistic activities. The initiative aims to increase the conditions for innovative working methods and creative solutions, where creativity and an understanding of human needs contribute to a more sustainable societal development.

“We want to invest in the arts. For us, it is about creating environments where scientific and artistic perspectives meet and contribute to new ways of understanding and addressing societal challenges. The new department also provides better conditions for joint initiatives and a clear point of entry for external partners,” says Birgitta Bergvall-Kåreborn, Vice-Chancellor of Luleå University of Technology.

Luleå University of Technology has decided to establish a new department for artistic activities with the purpose of bringing scientific and artistic research and educational fields closer together. The new department, which combines artistic and technical activities, brings together four educational and research subjects that are currently organized under different departments: musical performance, acting, design, and architecture. The department will collaborate with technology, social sciences, education, and health at the university. It is an important part of a broader effort to strengthen artistic activities at the university.

At the Luleå campus, Sweden’s largest campus development project is also underway, where three existing buildings will be demolished and new ones constructed. Together with Akademiska Hus and the Public Art Agency Sweden, the university aims to ensure that art receives a natural and integrated place in the new buildings and outdoor environments.

“The starting point is that art enhances well-being, identity, and attractiveness, and helps shape environments where people want to be and work,” says Birgitta Bergvall-Kåreborn.

To identify new collaboration partners and broaden external funding, the university appointed an artistic fundraising committee at the beginning of 2026. Its mission is to raise funds for well-defined projects that contribute to development and cooperation within the artistic field. Art is integrated into all core activities.

“The ambition of our artistic initiative is to create environments where researchers and students from different disciplines work together in new constellations. Where engineers often seek precision and function, artists can broaden perspectives and challenge assumptions that influence solutions to complex research problems,” says Birgitta Bergvall-Kåreborn.

The decision to expand the university’s organization with a sixth department was made on 7 April 2026. The new department will be established on 1 January 2027.

The new department will include both artistic and artistic-technical research and education, bringing together approximately 90 employees and 900 full-time students, with activities in both Luleå and Piteå.