Joar Nango is the festival artist for Moldejazz 2025.

Joar Nango (b. 1979) was born in Alta but also grew up in Molde. As an artist, he has won the Lorck Schive Art Prize, has been the festival artist at the Festspillene i Bergen, participated in Documenta, and he has works in the collection of the National Museum. He was also recently awarded the Kurt Schwitters Prize in Hanover, one of Europe’s most prestigious art prizes.

— “It is both a fun and honorable assignment. Moldejazz is one of the places that made me an artist,” Joar Nango told Romsdal Budstikke on October 15, 2024.

The internationally renowned artist and architect creates spaces that challenge and transcend preconceived ideas about who belongs where, opening up for creative energies and communities. The Sámi-Norwegian artist is trained as an architect but often explores the boundaries between design, architecture, philosophy, and visual art.

Moldejazz is the world’s longest-running continuously organized jazz festival (as of 2020) and the most significant in Norway. It was founded in 1961.

The festival takes place every July during the 29th week of the year, and in addition to the festival, it offers jazz concerts year-round in collaboration with Storyville Jazz Club in Molde.