S2:E8 Creating unique spaces for culture in Copenhagen – Jesper Koefoed-Melson in conversation with Adrian Ellis
Guest
Jesper Koefoed-Melson
In conversation with
Adrian Ellis
In this episode, our host Adrian Ellis speaks with Jesper Koefoed-Melson, Founding Director of Kulturdistriktet, about activating unique spaces in Copenhagen with cultural events and festivals – fostering a vibrant community and enriching the city’s cultural landscape.
Date of Recording
11 July 2022
Date of Publication
1 September 2022
[00:00:00]
[THEME MUSIC]
[00:00:05]
Adrian Ellis: Hello and welcome to The Three Bells. This podcast is one of a series brought to you by AEA Consulting and The Binnacle Foundation for the Global Cultural Districts Network, in which we explore what's happening around the world on those busy, and sometimes congested intersections of cultural and urban life.
The series and supporting materials can be found at www.thethreebells.net. And if you like our content, please subscribe and give us a positive review on your podcast listening platform of choice. I’m Adrian Ellis, Director of AEA Consulting and the Chair of GCDN. And today I get to talk to Jesper Koefoed-Melson. Jesper is the Founding Director of a new cultural district in Copenhagen, in Denmark, that was summoned into existence in 2020, and I recently met him at the GCDN convening in Lugano. He's had a fascinating career as a festival producer, consultant, and urban strategist, and has brought all these to bear in his current role.
Hi Jesper, good morning and thank you for joining me. I'm delighted to have you as a guest and also delighted to receive you and your organisation into GCDN. This is a great opportunity for me and for the members of GCDN and other listeners to get to know a little bit about you and about the district that you have recently summoned into existence with your colleagues.
Thank you for joining me.
[00:01:33]
Jesper Koefoed-Melson: Thank you so much for inviting me to this very interesting conversations and also for allowing me to be part of your Global Network of Cultural District, which is a huge inspiration for me and the cultural district I'm working with in Copenhagen.
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External Links
Kulturdistriktet is an association of visionary urban developers, artists, cultural institutions, and companies that have joined forces in creating an engaging framework for culture, cooperation, and innovation throughout the Østerbro and Nordhavn neighborhoods in Copenhagen, Denmark.
GivRum facilitates user-driven urban development with local communities as point of departure.
Vida Local is a team of advisers and project managers who work for the creation of strong communities, attractive areas, and innovative partnerships.
The Tunnel Factory is a Copenhagen-based cultural hot spot with an international outlook. It originated as the birthplace of the tunnel elements connecting Copenhagen and Malmø.
Åben Festival is a collaboration between audience, artists, cultural creators, institutions, and companies.
GCDN’s Publications – which Jesper cites as primary inspiration for building the framework of Kulturdistriktet.
The Haves and the Have-Yachts, reference by Adrian Ellis, is a New Yorker article written by Evan Osnos on July 18, 2022.
About Our Speakers
Jesper Koefoed-Melson is the Founding Director of Kulturdistriktet, an association of visionary urban developers, artists, cultural institutions and companies that have joined forces in creating an engaging framework for culture, cooperation and innovation throughout Østerbro and Nordhavn in Copenhagen. Jesper is also a partner in the urban development organization GivRum and has years of experience in developing innovative cities and organizations based on human resources. +
Adrian Ellis is the founder of AEA Consulting (1990) and the Global Cultural Districts Network (2013). He has worked in senior management and as a board member in both museums and the performing arts and as a strategy consultant to leading clients in the cultural, public, and business sectors around the world. +
